Not just Black and Silver
by Crummy Guava
Summary: Tessa is a con artist, trapped in the London Institute.
1. It begins

***Early April***

The monster collapsed in a heap. Not a real monster of course, just one that wanted to blow up a building for some twisted idiotic ideology or burn a few buildings regardless of who was inside or some such. So perhaps worse than a real monster. A creature of hell at least had the excuse of being evil. Will couldn't imagine why a human being would choose to carry out such heinous acts. When did explosions and mass death ever produce anything worthwhile except in a Hollywood blockbuster?

"Jem!" Will called, turning around. "Did you see that? Stopped a bloody arsonist with one blow!" His partner had been standing behind him a few moments before but now he was alone in the shadows. He frowned in annoyance- showing off was no fun alone! He glanced around to see if anyone else was going to jump out at him then shrugged and walked back towards Thames and the dockyard.

The path towards Whitechapel was deserted as Will walked onwards looking up and down the empty streets for Jem. A shape detached itself from the shadows and moved toward Will. Will started forward, then paused. It wasn't Jem, but rather a policeman- probably heading towards the arsonist he'd left handcuffed. Will pressed himself into the shadows since he wasn't in the mood to fill out forms and answer a bunch of questions about this unauthorized sortie of theirs. Will and Jem weren't cops exactly, they (sort of) worked for the Institute- a secret branch of the Interpol that had more freedom to act when dealing with transnational crime and terrorism. Sort of, as in, they weren't full fledged agents yet- but they would be when they turned 21 in a few months.

Tonight Will and Jem had been in town to blow off steam, when Will had dragged Jem down to investigate rumors floating in the Downworld about this area. Downworld was the institute's term for the vibrant criminal underworld network and everything and everyone involved in it. Such excursions weren't out of normal for Will- he often immersed himself into cases that weren't on the Institutes radar (for fun).

And it wasn't out of normal for Jem to get dragged in either. They were brothers in all but blood. Fortunately for them, Charlotte who headed the Institute in London had practically raised them, so they weren't likely to get into trouble. Not unless they created too much of a political (or physical) mess... or bent too many laws, which they hadn't tonight. Will frowned and took the time to unscrew a road sign to take home with him, he had to break at least one law on every outing or Jem would think he was going soft! Will raised his voice to a shout once the cop was gone, "Jem, you disloyal bastard! Where are you? You were supposed to be guarding my back!"

A faint reply answered him. "Over here. Follow the light."

Will moved toward the sound that seemed to be coming from a dark opening between two warehouses; a faint gleam was visible within the shadows. The young man who appeared at the mouth of the alley was pale—paler even than he usually was, which was quite pale indeed. His odd bright silver hair shone in the moonlight. His eyes were the same silver, and his fine-boned face was angular, the slight curve of his eyes the only clue to his heritage. There were dark stains across his white shirt, and his hands were thickly smeared with red.

Will tensed. "You're bleeding. What happened?"

Jem waved away Will's concern. "It's not my blood." He turned his head back toward the alley behind him. "It's hers."

In the far corner of the alley was a crumpled shape—when Will looked closely, he could make out the shape of a pale hand, and a wisp of fair hair.

"A dead woman?" Will asked.

"A girl, really. Not more than fourteen."

"If we'd only happened along a little earlier," Will said finally. "That bloody arsonist-"

Jem frowned. "I don't think he did that. He didn't have any blood on him. This girl was stabbed, repeatedly. And I don't think it was here, either. There simply isn't enough blood in the alley."

"Maybe she stumbled across the arsonist?"

"Maybe. But I think she was supposed to be burned- she'd just be another homeless person sleeping in the wrong building then- if she was even found. Those chemicals looked like they'd burn hot enough to destroy bones."

"Hmm I believe you are right James. Did you find anything to figure out why this location and this girl?"

"Here." Jem drew something from inside his jacket—a knife, wrapped in white cloth. "It's a sort of misericord, or hunting dagger. Look how thin the blade is."

Will took it. The blade was indeed thin, ending in a handle made of polished bone. So the killer knew his weapons… but had been sloppy in disposing the body and evidence. That was odd. With a frown he wiped the flat of the knife across his sleeve, scraping it clean until a symbol became visible. Two serpents, each biting the other's tail, forming a perfect circle.

"Ouroboros," Jem said, leaning in close to stare at the knife. "A double one. Now, what do you think that means?"

"The end of the world," said Will, still looking at the dagger, a small smile playing about his mouth, "and the beginning."

Jem frowned. "I understand the symbology, William. I meant, what do you think its presence on the dagger signifies? This is clearly related to the Downworld."

The wind off the river was ruffling Will's hair; he brushed it out of his eyes with an impatient gesture and went back to studying the knife. After wrapping the handkerchief around the blade carefully, Will slipped it into his jacket pocket. "I don't know but D'you think Charlotte will let me handle the investigation?"

"Do you think you can be trusted in Downworld? The gambling hells, the dens of magical vice, the women of loose morals…"

Will smiled the way Lucifer might have smiled, moments before he fell from Heaven. "Would tomorrow be too early to start looking, do you think?"

Jem sighed. He often wondered if Will went out of his way to find cases like these, that were sure to pull at Charlotte's sympathies, just to have an excuse to hang out in the Downworld some more. "Do what you like, William. You always do."

* * *

Tessa could not remember a time when she had not loved the clockwork angel. It had belonged to her mother once, a gift that father had crafted by himself, or so Aunt Harriet had told her in one of her nicer moods. Tessa's mother had been wearing it when she died. After that it had sat in her mother's jewelry box, until her brother, Nathaniel- Nate, took it out one day to see if it was still in working order, and to pawn it off it he could. When the pawn broker told him it was worthless he'd given it to Tessa. She knew, not because he told her, but because she had followed him that night.

The angel was no bigger than Tessa's pinky finger, a tiny statuette made of brass, with folded bronze wings. It had a delicate metal face with shut crescent eyelids, and hands crossed over a sword in front. A thin chain that looped beneath the wings allowed the angel to be worn around the neck like a locket. It was the only pretty thing she kept. One of the few things she truly valued.

Life as a thief and con artist brought her close to many pretty things, but they never meant anything to her- not more than a challenge and a source of money to fund her needs. Which was mostly a few safe places to stay, food and clothes- a lot of clothes. Not because she loved fashion but because the key to being a successful con artist was to blend in where ever she went. She'd been a waitress, a maid, a chauffeur, even a sommelier, occasionally she'd be the girlfriend or escort. Once she'd pretended to be a baroness- which had been as fun as it had been risky. So yes, a lot of clothes.

Then there was the love of her life… books. She adored rare first additions… but those sold for a lot on the black market so she stuck to reproductions. And fake IDs, top notch fake IDs cost money. In her business she needed to take and shed names often. And she did. She reveled in the anonymity and the power, though she missed the sound of her real name. Tessa. No one had called her that in years. Not since she ran away from home four and half years ago.

She missed having people she could trust and confide in. She'd made 'friends' and acquaintances in her various aliases and sometimes she even kept in touch with them… but it wasn't the same. She worked with others sometimes, as a part of a crew. But she was always in disguise, some of them probably didn't even know she was a girl. She wouldn't give up the identity of the people she worked with, but to expect others in her business to have the same ethics would have been the heights of stupidity. And Tessa was not stupid so she kept everyone at bay. She missed having a place she could call home too. The longest she stayed anywhere was three months. She had a few safe locations but staying longer always made her feel as if she was being watched and followed. The only thing she let herself take from place to place was her clockwork angel and a few books.

She didn't know how long this job would take though. She was in London to find information on Nate. He had moved to London for work for a pharmaceutical company and was getting treatment for his gambling addiction. His emails claimed he wanted to be with his family again and had asked them to move to live with him in London. Aunt Harriet had petitioned Tessa for a fresh start, over multiple emails, to agree to the move. Tessa had finally agreed and sent Nate an email- the first once since she'd left home, to discuss things. Her only contact with her family before then had been to send blank postcards to her aunt every month.

But then everything had gone quiet on Nate's end. Aunt Harriet had been worried in her emails and then she'd taken sick and died suddenly. The autopsy claimed heart attack. Tessa would have believed the death was natural, her Aunt hadn't been young or lived a particularly healthy lifestyle, if not for the ambush at her funeral. It had been a narrow escape, and she was certain they hadn't been the police with their masks and guns. Suddenly she had been worried for Nate. Was someone targeting her family to get to her? Was Nate still alive?

The angel lay against her chest as she slept, its constant tick-tock, tick-tock like the beating of a second heart. She needed the comfort tonight. She sighed and willed herself to sleep. It was a trick she'd learned long ago- to get rest when she could, especially before a job. Tiredness led to mistakes, which meant getting caught. And that was one of Tessa's main rules- don't get caught.

The morning dawned dreary gray and rainy. _Umbrella, she'd need to get an umbrella_. A gust of wind blew through her University of Helsinki hoodie ('borrowed' from a real student living at the hostel she'd stayed at last night) making Tessa shiver. _Warmer clothes too_! If April was this miserable she didn't want to experience London in December! Hunching her shoulders, Tessa joined the crowd on the streets despite the freezing drop of ran making her hands shiver. It would be hours yet before shops opened, but she didn't want to waste time. The first step would be to get a feel of the city and find the Dark House. It was her only clue from Nate's emails and it was clearly a code name for an illegal business. She would need to find promising criminal haunts to gather information from.

* * *

A week later, Tessa found herself at the Devil's Tavern. It was one of those back alley places that most people remained blissfully unaware of, and cops didn't venture into easily. She eyed a handsome blue eyed fellow and considered catching his attention. He looked to be about her age, perhaps a bit older. And from the way he eyed the waitress he was definitely straight. She'd seen him at two other such haunts in as many days. Something about him made her wary so she'd kept her distance and made her exit the last two times. This time she'd been planning to do the same until she heard him ask about the Dark House.

She was hoping for a clue as to the location of the place. Why couldn't Nate have mentioned _that_ in his email? Even as she considered catching those blue eyes, Tessa was noticed by one of the hustler types that every dive bar seemed to have. She flirted a bit but then turned him down nicely. He was a softie under that gruff exterior. Not everyone at a place like this was a hard core criminal- she certainly didn't consider herself one.

Tessa had almost extricated herself from the situation when Mr. Blue eyed decided to play 'rescue the damsel'… and she, for want of information, let him.

"That asshole bothering you, sweetie." _Sweetie?! Did she look 12? Ugh! He was lucky he was handsome!_

"You looking at a mirror, love?" Tessa sassed back.

"Love? Bit early for that innit?" His looked her over as if he hadn't seen her before. He had. For five whole minutes while she turned the hustler down. His look turned leery, "At least let me show you a good time first."

She raised an eyebrow intrigued by the book stuffed into his jacket, "Good time, eh?" Tessa sauntered closer to him and placed her hands on his chest with an appreciative smirk of her own "I wouldn't mind discussing-" pulled the paperback out of his inside pocket and snorted unimpressed at the title, _"The Alchemist_? A bit condescending and preachy, don't you think?" He looked surprised by the assessment. Or perhaps the fact that she had an opinion on it.

"Perhaps but his words read like poetry. 'At every moment of our lives, we all have one foot in a fairy tale and the other in the abyss.'" He quoted airily and then gave her a suggestive smile, "How 'bout we head out and I show you a rocking fairy tale of a time?" _So he read to find awful pickup lines_? The quote wasn't from the Alchemist. He was calling her bluff on reading it. Too bad this was her favorite game.

Tessa laughed, "Eleven Minutes!" and then sighed with mock disappointment, "More pseudo-philosophy. Or is that your way of telling me the extent of your stamina?"

He had been in the middle of a gulp of beer which he then choked on from laughing. "Oh, luv, my stamina's never been an issue. Go on, have at it."

 _Where had she heard that before?_ Hmm... "Now, now, that's cheating. The Originals, and said by a much handsomer man than you." Tessa smiled in triumph at his embarrassed grin. He should be too… why would a grown man who spent time at the Devil's Tavern even be watching a show for teenage girls?

He was distracted from responding by the bartender, so he let him place a hand on her waist while he ordered shots for them. She didn't want to get away anymore than he wanted to let her. The bartender covertly slipped him a smudged piece of paper folded into the change from his pint. Perfect- it had to be the address for the elusive Dark House.

Tessa let a pleased smile show when the blue-eyed fellow pulled her closer after carefully pocketing the address. This was going to be easy. Tessa downed her shot and stepped even closer caressing his chest and used his distraction to get the address. His trailed his hand down hers and made gentle swirls on her wrist that made heat spread through her body- prompting her to blush. It felt good- too good, she'd been expecting handsy-grabby not gentleness. Not that she would've minded handsy-grabby-ness from a hunk like him but blushing wasn't something women at the Devil's Tavern did. A disguise only went so far if one couldn't play the part. And Tessa had erred. She'd gotten what she needed, time to create a distraction and vanish before he noticed any thing odd.

"Drinks on me," Tessa whispered into his ears weaving her free hand into his dark soft locks.

"Here's to alcohol, the rose colored glasses of life." He mumbled into her ear. She would bet that he was smirking at the thought he'd out quoted her.

"Fitzgerald," She gave him a sexy smile, "The Beautiful and the Damned. You've definitely got one of those covered."

Her teasing flattery didn't work though. His smiled turned crooked and his deep cerulean eyes unfocused. It made Tessa curious about this man, she wanted to explore this hidden side and tread those hidden depths in his eyes. Or perhaps she was reading more into this because he was so handsome- maybe he was just shallow and had run out of quotes to tease her with.

"No, sweetie, you'd be right on both counts." He detangled Tessa's hand from his hair and took a step away "'I think the devil will not have me damned, lest the oil that's in me should set hell on fire.'"

"Shakespeare," Tessa whispered in surprise because he'd quoted it so desolately as if he really believed he was doomed to torment. His breath caught and there was an odd look in his eye as he kissed the inside of her palm and walked away without another word. _No need for a distraction then,_ was the only thought Tessa's stunned brain managed to produce. She shook her head and made her exit before her mystery man backtracked to find her.

Tessa settled into the cab and let her thoughts drift to him as she headed to the address scribbled on the stolen paper. Her palm tingled where he'd kissed her making her blush again. She wouldn't normally have been mortified at such a rejection, since she hadn't been at the tavern as Tessa- so why did she feel slighted? _Because she'd talked to him as Tessa-_ that spark she'd sensed between them hadn't been for the scruffy, gum chewing, makeup caked purple haired girl he'd seen but for Tessa- the brunette who loved books, window seats and tea. Flirting hadn't been necessary- she could have easily picked his pocket in passing or just talked with the bartender. But he'd been dreamily handsome and it'd been a while since she'd been with anyone. Especially someone with such delectable lean hard muscles. That he liked books and had a gentle side had been a happy extra. She sighed, maybe once she checked out the address she could pick up another dark haired blue eyed stranger. She discarded the idea almost immediately- she wasn't likely to stop wondering about the hidden depths and sadness of a different pair of blue eyes tonight or many nights yet.

* * *

Jem awoke to the sounds of an odd _thumping_ noise. Not the usual thumping noise Will made when he had company, if it had been _that_ kind of thumping Jem would never have ventured out of his room. Not anymore at least. He had been accosted with the sight of Will with his various paramours many times over years that they'd known each other. Mostly because Will never took them to his bedroom. Will's bedroom was 'sacred', or so he claimed. He insisted on utilizing the lounge- their _shared_ lounge for all his late night encounters. Tonight Jem wasn't in the mood for either watching or participating, which he had occasionally done (arguing Will out of his crazy ideas was beyond him, and Will _did_ have a knack for finding girls that liked the extra attention).

Jem definitely wanted more sleep tonight but it seemed unlikely with the ruckus Will was making. He walked out to the lounge to find Will trying to give himself a concussion against the glass table by letting his head fall on it repeatedly. He suppressed a sigh, this was Will when he did something stupid. "Were you blacklisted at another Downworld place? What was it this time? Broke all the furniture in a fight or stole a girl from another gang?"

Will had started a huge highly memorable fight once when he tried to help out a girl last year. And the Institute had gotten dragged into the mess, everyone had worked nonstop for weeks to put away the outlaw motorcycle gang that had come after him. Biker gangs got very possessive about their 'property'. Luckily it had been a small gang without many chapters or much power. Despite his many faults and abrasive personality, Will had a good heart and it shone through sometimes.

"I met someone. She was something." Will said with a weird breathy quality to his voice. Jem was surprised. Women rarely made an impression on him. Usually it was the other way round.

"Must have been something if she said no to you." Will was handsome and very charming when he wanted to be. If a girl got away, she was either very strong willed or very _not_ into men.

"She was, oh she was!" Will sighed dramatically, "She stole my wallet and I didn't even realize it. Undid days of work in tracking down the symbol from that knife!"

This girl really must have been a knockout if Will was distracted enough to let his guard slip. It was a trait Jem and Will shared, they were laser focused when it came to work (and being aware of their immediate surroundings). He sighed and walked over to the mini-fridge to get a waffle and a glass of milk. Will was easier to talk to when he had something starchy and sweet to munch on. Will wouldn't admit it, but it was one of his ways to deal with stress. And Will was stressed right now. He'd mentioned a dead sister once, and Jem would bet his precious violin that the body from the alley had stirred up troubling memories for his friend.

Jem watched Will take a giant bite of his waffle and chew on it like a dejected kid, and waited for him to speak. And when he did, Jem couldn't stop laughing- Will, his friend, his brother in all but blood was whining because his _pride_ was hurt. He'd been pick-pocketed and fooled by a girl. Oh, Jem never thought he'd see the day. This girl seemed like someone worth meeting! He didn't fail to note how vague he'd been for the reason that she wasn't here right now.

"It's ok Will, we'll go back when the tavern opens tomorrow and raid this Dark House as well. You wouldn't have gone there tonight anyhow. You had no backup." It was true, the institute had been hired to do a security audit for a firm so everyone was busy with that.

Will grumbled but he knew Jem was right. It just rankled that he'd been so oblivious as to let someone empty his pocket! What was next- would he walk up to a mugger and ask to be robbed? Or invite burglars to raid his home? Or ask to be kidnapped? It was pathetic for someone as badass as him to be pick-pocketed!

Jem brought Will another waffle and coaxed him into bed. Will would need it, they had a meeting with Charlotte in a few hours. He still longed for his warm comfy bed, but it was almost sunrise. Jem's alarm was set to go off in an hour so he decided to work on his composition some more. There was never enough time to play and write as much music as he wanted to.


	2. The rescue

**Two nights later**

The Institute had been looking into corporate security for a firm that produced agro-products. It had concerns that terrorists would attempt to sabotage their work and intel from the Institute's sources in the Downworld had also suggested the possibility. So the Institute had labeled it high priority, pushing other projects aside for the last week. It was important work for sure but Will was frustrated because he hadn't had any down time to go back to finding the Dark House!

As soon as the mission was over, Will had dragged Jem to the tavern for the information that had been so embarrassingly stolen from him. Will had wanted to go investigating immediately but Jem had taken ill again. So an annoyed Will had stomped over to Charlotte's door on a lower floor of the institute (after making sure Jem was comfortable in his room) and cajoled her until she agreed to give him back up. It had taken a lot of cajoling since this wasn't an official investigation and Will had refused to turn the case over to the police.

Will wouldn't have minded going off on his own but a few years ago, when he had still been a kid, he had nearly died while snooping into a dog-fighting ring. Jem had somehow managed to save him and had then threatened to excommunicate Will from his life if he ever again headed into a dangerous situation (especially an unauthorized one) alone. James Carstairs was a man of his word and never ever made empty threats. And Will had no intention of losing Jem or his trust.

The Dark House was a specialized brothel but no one would expound of what that meant. Knowing that a young dead girl was somehow linked to it, made the building look forbidding. Or perhaps that was because all the lights were off, and it looked abandoned. Everything he'd learned had come as second or third hand rumors, and even the location had been hard to get to. The bartender had looked ashen when Will had asked for the information a second time. By all accounts the place had been operational just a few days ago, why was it abandoned now? Did someone know he was investigating or was the darkness just a façade to throw off curious walk-ins?

Will left Henry and Thomas outside as lookouts and climbed onto a first floor balcony and pried the window open to get in. The room he entered was a typical brothel room- and fortunately empty. The hall outside was carpeted with doors lining the walls. He tried a few- all typical brothel rooms, but again empty. Though there were signs that it hadn't been recently. So the place had been hastily cleared. He walked down a flight of stairs and came to a grand entryway. The floor was marble and curtains shielded high windows on either side of the large doorway. He heard a sound below and melted into the shadows, _so the place wasn't entirely empty tonight_. He sighted stairs at the end of the corridor and stealthily headed towards the sounds.

The floor below was grim- like something out of a horror movie. The hall was painted black, medieval looking torches on the walls gave off next to no light and thick black doors lined the path at large intervals. Curious he tried a door and was stunned by the inside- it looked like a dentist's office from hell. _So that was the specialty of the place_. Will felt sick. He tried another door and found more torture devices and contraptions to contort people in painful positions. All the rooms were similar. The young girl could have been a victim of this place. It seemed very possible now. Will continued to follow the faint sounds and was surprised by the camera pointing towards stairs that headed even lower.

A place like this wouldn't have cameras… if there was one here, then it was to keep people out… which meant he had to get in. Will told Henry and Thomas to be ready for extraction within 10 minutes, then walked back upstairs and set the entryway curtains and the lounge chairs on fire. There wasn't much space for the fire to seriously spread and much of the materials were fire retardant- not that it surprised Will but it would still be a sufficient distraction. He hid in one of the torture rooms closest to the monitored stairway. When the fire alarm went off (Will would bet that the alarm wasn't set to alert the fire department the way it was supposed to), he heard anxious movement heading to deal with the fire, he turned the camera towards the wall and crept downwards.

There was a guard at a small corridor with just four doors. The idiot never even made it to his gun before Will knocked him out. Will tried a door, inside was a room with a two-way mirror looking into another room. Will exited and opened another door, and was immediately attacked by someone that streaked past him. Cursing under his breath, he tried to staunch his bleeding arm- it wasn't too serious an injury and followed the running body. Must be a captive, a guard would have made sure Will stayed down!

He caught up at the top of the medieval hall way and realized his attacker was a staggering naked girl. And they were both soon to be discovered since loud angry voices were moving towards them. He quickly covered her mouth to keep her quiet and dragged her towards a room with a boarded up cellar window. She wriggled and kicked like a mad person… but he managed to just get her inside before they could be spotted. It wouldn't be long before they noticed the girl missing or the moved camera.

The girl was still struggling to get free and making too much noise. "Calm down, I'm trying to get us out of here." He whispered into her hair while keeping his hold on her. She didn't stop struggling. "Look my friend is going to blow up that window and we're going to get out of here ok? You want that, don't you?" He didn't know if it was the urgency in his voice or the fact that she was rapidly losing energy but she stopped struggling. Will hoped Henry had located the correct window to extract them from.

Will let her go and was removing his jacket to give her something to cover up with when he was shoved backwards and she shot towards the door. _Fucking hell!_ He managed to drag her inside but they were seen. Will quickly pulled her in, locked the door and leaned against it. There were thumping sounds against the door. He could hear demands for someone to get the key. Without turning to look he tossed the girl his jacket followed by his t-shirt.

There was a sound from the window. The girl looked panicked and began to hyperventilate. Will pulled the now somewhat dressed girl close, and curled into a ball with her behind the dentist chair. An explosion rained glass, plaster, concrete and wood everywhere and the thumping from the door turned into gunshots. Will swore again when he noticed that a large fragment of glass had embedded itself into the girl's thigh which was bleeding. He had hoped to shield her from the blast. Hopefully, the glass hadn't nicked any major blood vessels.

Thomas's head popped into the now gaping hole in the wall. "Need help?"

"About bloody time! Here take her. She's injured." He hoped the girl wouldn't lose consciousness and die on him after all the trouble he'd gone through to help her. She struggled when she was being passed over still not trusting them. Not that he could blame her. Thomas managed to carry her out just as the goons finally broke down the door- a bit of shooting stopped them from entering. Thomas helped Will out, they tossed another of Henry's explosives inside to slow down pursuit and then raced towards a black unmarked Chevrolet cargo van. People were flowing out of their homes and gathering near the obvious hole in a building.

Will wondered how many families lived here blissfully unaware of the horrors and depravity of the Dark House. He could hear people calling emergency services. Will grimaced, Charlotte wouldn't be happy that he'd made such a mess! But he'd saved someone- that had to be worth something. He had saved her, hadn't he?

"How is she?" Will asked as soon as he dashed into the back. Thomas headed for the driver side and they peeled out of the cobbled street lined with houses.

"She bit me!" Henry grumbled as he fumbled in the first aid kit, "Keep her calm, I'll try to stop her bleeding wound."

She was sprawled across the floor of the van having fallen off the bench in her struggle to get away. A causal glance was enough to see that the bleeding thigh wasn't her only injury… it was the only one that bled but this girl had obviously been through a lot. He pulled the t-shirt lower, covered the non-injured leg with a blanket and pressed her shoulder backwards gently to hold her down.

"You're safe. We're going to get you help ok? But you need to calm down." She was hyperventilating badly. Will suddenly realized she hadn't spoken a word or even screamed since he'd found her. He tried to maintain eye contact with her while continuing to hold her down. "My name is William, William Herondale. We're going to take you somewhere safe ok? Nod if you understand me."

The girl quieted a little then, her eyes widened in recognition before becoming unfocused- she was beginning to lose consciousness. A soft "You" escaped her lips. Ok, she wasn't mute but her throat must be injured for her voice to sound so raw. Will didn't want to imagine how much she'd screamed for it to be like that. Did he know this girl? She seemed familiar somehow. Will had a great memory, especially for faces but he couldn't place her.

"Have we met before, what's your name? Talk to me, come on, stay with me." Sleep was probably a good idea for her- there were bags under her eyes but he wasn't sure of her injuries. He shook her gently trying to keep her awake. The traffic was light at this time of night so they were almost at the institute.

"Tell me your name, would you? I told you mine. Do you remember?" Another movement that looked like a nod. "William, but you can call me Will, everyone else does. What's your name? I cant keep thinking of you as 'the girl'. Not _The Girl_ , you know, but like when you don't know anything but the person's gender- and well you're obviously a girl!" She was trying to wriggle out of his grasp since he was shaking her shoulders rather incessantly. Her eyes kept rolling back and were unfocused even when she tried to focus on him. "I should at least know whom I heroically rescued!" Will insisted again.

"Tessa." The girl rasped out possibly to get him to stop shaking her.

"Diminutive for Theresa?" She nodded faintly… groggily.

"You must have a last name too."

"Gray" she whispered before she lapsed into unconsciousness. Not good. Shaking her some more did nothing. Henry had patched up her wound and was tending to the rather nasty bite mark she'd left on his hand. There was nothing to be done but to have Dr. Enoch look at her when they arrived at the Institute.

"Tessa Gray," The name suited her since her eyes were also gray. Why did she seem familiar? "Who are you, Ms. Gray?"

Theresa Gray was the only lead he had to get to the bottom of the murdered girl in the alley and now a brothel that specialized in more creative torture than Guantanamo Bay. Hopefully he'd have more answers back at the institute. Will had access to Interpol databases after all. Perhaps learning more about this Theresa Gray could give him some answers.


	3. Questions and a hook

*Two more days later*

Tessa woke with a choked cry, her eyes flying open, and found herself staring at shadows. Darkness clustered about her thickly. She could barely hear the murmur of voices through her panic, and struggled into a sitting position, kicking away blankets and pillows. Dimly, she recognized that the she was dressed, in a bed with soft bedding not strapped sans clothes to a cold table like at the Dark House.

She heard the rasp of her own breath as she turned to look at movement near her. A face loomed over her and a scream tried to forced its way out of her throat- but what she heard was closer to a whimper. The attempt hurt but she struggled to scrabble backwards, half-falling off the bed. Her feet tangled in the white nightdress someone had put her in and she hit the cold stone floor.

"Miss Gray, you have no reason to panic." The impassive face said in an impassive voice, as if girls falling off their bed trying to escape a strange situation was an everyday event. Perhaps for him it was. His words didn't calm Tessa, so much as throw her into an even bigger panic… how did he know her name? She hadn't spoken it aloud to another person for years!

The room was so dim, she could see only that it was roughly oval, the walls and floor all of stone. The ceiling was high enough to be in black shadow, and there were long windows across the opposite wall, the sort of arched windows that might have belonged in a church. Very little light filtered through them; it looked as if the sky outside was dark with tinges of orange light at the edges- _sunset or sunrise?_ "Theresa Gray—"

 _No,_ whoever these people were, if they knew her name she was in trouble. The impassive man hadn't moved... the voice calling out to her was female. Tessa began to back away, carefully, feeling for the door behind her. She found it and turned the metal handle but it wouldn't move… _locked_. _She was locked in_. She needed a pin… and time. Time… that she didn't have. She was in a locked room again. Tessa hated being in locked rooms. Suddenly the room was flooded with light.

"Miss Gray, I am sorry. It was not our intention to frighten you." The voice was a woman's: still unfamiliar, but youthful and concerned. "Miss Gray, please."

Tessa turned slowly and put her back against the door. She could see clearly now. She was in a stone room whose central focus was a large, four-poster bed, its velvet coverlet now rucked and hanging sideways where she had dragged it off the mattress. Tapestry curtains were pulled back, and there was an elegant tapestry rug on the otherwise bare floor. In fact, the room itself was fairly bare. There were no pictures or photographs hanging on the wall, no ornaments cluttering the surfaces of the dark wood furniture. Two chairs stood facing each other near the bed, with a small tea table between them.

Beside the bed stood a tall man with that eerily impassive face in a crisp suit and a doctor's coat. Beside him stood a very small woman, almost child-size, with thick brown hair knotted at the nape of her neck, and a neat, clever little face with bright, dark eyes like a bird's. She wasn't pretty exactly, but there was a calm, kindly look on her face that made the ache of panic in Tessa's stomach ease slightly, though she couldn't have said exactly why.

"Miss Gray," she said. "I am Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, and this beside me is Dr. Enoch—"

"What is this Institute? Another bordello where you torture people?" Tessa whispered forcing her words out despite the pain in her throat.

A look of distaste and sympathy crossed Charlotte's face… the supposed doctor remained impassive. "No, we do not engage in such practices here. Dr. Enoch, though intimidating, is a skilled practitioner of medicine. He informs us that you were indeed tortured at this place called the Dark House. He has treated what he can, for now. At the moment you are suffering more from shock and nervous anxiety. It might be for the best if you sat down. Hovering barefoot by the door like that will only give you a chill, and do you little good."

"You mean because I can't run," Tessa said, licking her dry lips. "I can't get away."

"You are not a prisoner, Ms. Gray but we need to talk to you about this place you were held captive at. Once we are satisfied with your story you will be free to go your own way."

"How do you know my name? How am I here? Who are you people?" Her words were becoming raspier and it was becoming difficult to stay upright. Her body just wanted to curl into warm cocoon and not come out for years. There was a blackness at the edges of her vision that threatened to take over if she didn't fight it.

"You told it to Will, William Herondale. He's the one that found you. As to who we are… we can talk about that once you're more recovered."

She'd told someone called Will her name… But why would she do that? _Tiredness_ … that lead to mistakes. She vaguely remembered an explosion and biting someone and those familiar blue eyes from the bar telling her that everyone called him Will… and that she wasn't The Girl… just a person who happened to be female. The memory felt real... so Charlotte wasn't lying. Tessa had erred again.

The doctor, Tessa noticed, had moved… he was preparing some mixture that he handed to Charlotte. His voice was so soft she couldn't hear him.

Charlotte came towards her slowly, "Here drink this. It will soothe your throat; it must be painful from trying to talk." Tessa looked at the odd green liquid in a glass. It could be anything; she didn't know these people enough to eat or drink anything they gave her. Seeing her expression, Charlotte sighed and took a small sip from the glass (and made a face). "Not the best taste but I assure you we don't mean you harm."

Tessa took the glass still leaning against the door and still suspicious. It tasted fowl but the moment it hit her throat the pain faded a little. Encouraged she took some more sips, and slowly moved away from the door. Her legs weren't likely to support her much longer and she needed to rest before she said anything else. She couldn't make any more mistakes, especially without finding out who these people were and what they wanted from her. That they would want something, Tessa was sure of. No free lunches… but the adage applied equally well to rescues.

* * *

Tessa never made it to the bed though, the impassive doctor caught her before she hit the floor and Charlotte nimbly took the glass away before it spilled its contents everywhere. Charlotte sighed, drugging Tessa was necessary- she needed the rest but was likely to attempt to flee the first chance she got. Not that she would get far, security at the institute was top notch.

Charlotte closed the curtains and followed Dr. Enoch out of the room after placing a blanket over Ms. Gray. She was amazed at how his voice didn't waver as he opined on the likely causes of the girl's injuries as he walked towards the front door. Tessa had been brutally tortured. Will claimed the Dark house had been emptied… so why had this one girl been left behind? The dead girl in the alley had been stabbed but not tortured in any way. How were the two cases related?

Charlotte had a feeling this case was going to cause her a lot of trouble- but she didn't regret what Will had dragged her into this time. She abhorred exploitation and cruelty- the things the Dark House packaged and sold to its customers. The place couldn't have operated on a quiet London street without some corrupt powerful people protecting it at multiple levels. And she would do her best to put an end to it. Charlotte retreated back to her office, there was much to be done still… she'd need more coffee, not just because of the early hour but to counteract the lethargy spreading though her from that awful tonic she'd drunk to mollify Tessa.

* * *

When Tessa woke again, the room was still dark but she was alone in the room. She willed herself to get out of bed and fell off again because her legs tangled in the night gown. She walked towards the window and pulled back the curtains to see what she was up against. The success of any job in her profession depended on viable exit strategies, so looking for one was almost a primary instinct.

It would be night soon. She was a few floors off ground level. The view outside said she was near the Thames… the spires of a church and buildings of the strand were visible across a large yard enclosed by a high wall that opened out from a large iron gate. It seemed simple enough to climb down the window and out to the street. Except that the window was shuttered glass… it let air in but if she wanted to get out she'd have to remove the whole fixture. Which wouldn't be tough… but it would lead to more questions if she didn't make a clean escape. When she left it would have to be flawless with no chance of getting caught again.

At the moment she wasn't dressed for a climb down the walls of a building or a climb up a high wall topped with barbed wire. She was dressed for... _a celebrity slumber party?_ The sleeveless nightgown that went almost to her ankles was made of fine cotton with lace panels and buttons down the front. Tessa felt like she should be in the middle of a pillow-fight photo-shoot with feathers raining everywhere. Her preferred sleeping wear was sleep shorts and a tank top- easy, comfortable and practical to climb out of windows in!

A look around the room presented no other clothing options. She found the modern but Victorian looking bathroom already stocked with fresh towels, bath products and other toiletries. If she was stuck here, she might as well soothe her aching muscles and feel clean. She was filling out the clawfoot bathtub when there was a knock at the door. Before she could exit the bathroom, a woman's voice was inside calling out for her.

"Ms. Gray? I've brought you something to wear, and Dr. Enoch said you'd feel better if you had some tea. But he's more British than most British people so he probably thinks everything is better with tea." The speaker was a slender dark haired girl with hazel eyes, soft lips… and a thick scar on the left side of her face.

Tessa flashed a wary smile, "Tessa" She rasped out. The girl looked at her oddly… or perhaps she was trying to decipher the scratchy sound she'd just heard.

"I'm Sophie. I hear water running, so I'll leave you to freshen up. Perhaps Dr. Enoch wasn't exaggerating your need for tea- its ginger and lemongrass should soothe your throat. There's honey in a pot… I hear that helps. I'll be back in about an hour to take you to dinner, ok?"

This Sophie person seemed nice enough… but Tessa didn't like feeling locked up. She never had. Tessa nodded her assent, which prompted Sophie to give her a smile before exiting. A warm bath, clean hair and the tea did wonders for her. She felt like a new person... now if only she could forget all that pain and torment!

* * *

As promised Sophie arrived an hour later. Tessa wasn't particularly in the mood for dinner- but she wanted to be out of this room and see the rest of the place.

"So Tessa, you ready for dinner?" Sophie sauntered in wearing the same dark jeans and floral blouse as before. Tessa felt over dressed in the wine colored knee length satin cocktail dress that had been provided to her. Even her footwear was heeled sandals as opposed to the comfy looking flats on Sophie's feet. Sensing Tessa's awkwardness the other girl began to explain things. "The dress is Jessamine's… she likes to dress up. Don't worry Charlotte tends to dress up for dinner too so I'll be the odd person out. I would have given you some of my clothes but I don't live here… I got called in for an emergency and Charlotte insisted I stay for dinner."

Seeing Tessa's expression, she continued, "You've met Will," Her voice became clipped at the name… she was obviously not a fan of the handsome blue-eyed man, "He lives here, as does Charlotte and her husband, Henry. Did you really bite him? He's been complaining about that all day."

Tessa blushed, she recalled the incident but it wasn't her fault. Her brain had been in panic mode… it still was. The people here seemed nice but she still didn't know who they were or what they wanted. Sophie could be someone sent to gain her trust before things turned ugly. Tessa observed the place as she followed Sophie along the maze like stone hallways… damn her escape plan wasn't looking good. She'd need a map to find her way out of here!

"Jessamine mostly lives here. As does James Carstairs… though I don't know when you'll meet him." Sophie continued to talk about the people, without really giving away anything about them as Tessa tried to remember the way by marking points through the art on the wall. It was frustratingly difficult since all the art looked similar as did all the hallways! _Who the hell designed this place?_ Tessa struggled to keep up… her battered body wasn't ready for a brisk walk in heels! After a few minutes Sophie turned and ushered her through a door and into a large dazzlingly bright dining room.

The room was huge, big enough for a table that could have seated twenty people. An immense modern chandelier hung from the ceiling. Over a sideboard a gilt-framed mirror ran the length of the room. A low glass bowl of white flowers decorated the table's center. Everything was tasteful, but impersonal- it gave her no hints as to what the occupants of this castle like place were like.

Six places were set at one end of the table. Three people were already seated. Will- her _rescuer_ in dark jeans, a gray button down shirt and a dark sports coat. Charlotte- who was indeed more dressed up than the last time she'd seen her- in a green sheath dress. And a model-esque blond girl in a shimmering blue low-necked gown, (Jessamine, Tessa supposed) who looked to be studiously ignoring Will.

"We're here." Sophie announced before guiding Tessa to the empty seat in between Will and Jessamine before plonking down next to Charlotte.

"Will," Charlotte said. "You remember Miss Gray?"

"My recollection of her," said Will, "is most vivid indeed." Something in his grinning expression reminded her that she'd been naked at their last encounter. Tess felt herself flush but she didn't look away despite feeling mildly sick. None of her time in that horror house was anything someone who'd seen it would want to _grin_ about. This Will suddenly made her apprehensive. His expression sobered slightly, "You clean up rather well. Are you feeling better?"

She shrugged in response. How did one respond to that? She was no closer to finding her brother and she'd been tortured to an inch of her life for information that she didn't have. "And Ms. Gray, this is Jessamine Lovelace." Charlotte continued.

Jessamine murmured a hello and eyed Tessa critically before sniffing and turning away. Tessa felt another flush… this time of embarrassment on realizing she was in the other girl's dress. Will cast Jessamine a look of plain loathing, and turned to Charlotte. "Where's your benighted husband, then?"

"Henry is in his workroom. He'll be up in a moment."

"And Gem?"

Charlotte's look was warning, "Gem is unwell" was all she said.

"He always is." Jessamine sounded disgusted.

Tessa was curious about this Gem- Sophie hadn't mentioned him ( _or her_ , she reminded herself) but she didn't want to speak and be bombarded with questions. No one seemed interested in explaining how they'd found her or why they were playing 'dinner guest' with a complete stranger. The table was loaded with food. There was roast pork, potatoes, savory soup, and fluffy dinner rolls with creamy yellow butter. It all looked appetizing making her suddenly ravenous but she settled on the soup and a dinner roll.

"So you're one of those women who like to starve themselves." Will commented in a low voice that only she could hear. Tessa shot a frown towards him and controlled the urge to give him a piece of her mind. Tessa was fairly sure she could talk without much pain now, but her throat was still sore enough for swallowing solid food to be unpleasant.

Henry arrived soon after. He sat glanced across the table at Tessa—and blinked in surprise. "I know you," he said. "You bit me!" He sounded pleased about it- as if recollecting a shared pleasant memory. Charlotte shot a despairing look at her husband.

"Sorry," Tessa whispered with an apologetic shrug.

Hearing her voice prompted Will to look her over and ask Charlotte: "Have you asked Miss Gray about the Pandemonium Club yet?"

"I haven't had a chance to talk with Ms. Gray, but I intend to do so after dinner. She has been resting since she was brought here. And her throat still seems to be troubling her . Though Dr. Enoch tells me she has healed much faster than anticipated." There was a sound of disapproval in her voice because Tessa had been brought here. Tessa had a feeling this 'talk' was going to be more of an interrogation.

Anytime Tessa was on a job she had a 'persona'… someone with a backstory and certain characteristics. She would know how to behave, would know which questions to answer in which manner. As Tessa Gray she had no defenses, no back story, _nothing._ It was what had tripped her up so much at the Dark House when she'd been caught while trying to get into their office. A rushed job, that had turned messy to painful disastrous consequences.

"Like you're going to get any truthful answers from someone like her." Jessamine snorted. Tessa wasn't sure what the blond was referring to but it didn't sound flattering in the least.

"Ms. Gray prefers to be called Tessa. And also prefers not to be talked about as if she isn't at the same table." Tessa replied in the loudest whisper she could manage.

Will turned an amused eye towards her (not that he hadn't been watching her enough to make her slightly uncomfortable before). "American?" He sounded incredulous, "Have we met before Tessa? You look familiar… even your voice but you don't look like any of the Yanks I know."

Tessa had been using a British accent when she talked to him at the Devil's Tavern. So he didn't recognize her- that had to be a good thing. She shrugged, "I have a plain face, keeps reminding people of other people."

He looked at her intently, "Hardly plain. But that is beside the point. I know you recognized me as well- on the drive over."

"Urgh William, it's bad enough you brought a prostitute home with you, must you now flirt with her at the dinner table." Jessamine growled with disgust.

 _Wait what?_ Tessa's head snapped up in shock. Sure this dress was a bit snug but nothing anyone would call her a whore over. She understood the stigma and judgement that came with _that_ profession. She'd unjustly faced it a few times growing up and she hated people that looked down on others for the hard choices they had to make to survive. Tessa didn't restrain her urge to be scathing. How dare she? No one had the right to treat her like that! But before she could speak, William interrupted the hushed silence.

"Don't let Jessamine bother you, she's jealous you're getting all the attention and look better than her tonight." He was grinning. Did everything amuse this Will person?

"I'm not bothered, Mr. Herondale. 'All civilized people are prostitutes: Some sell what's between their legs; the rest sell what's between their ears.'" She rasped out a quote she'd read on the internet.

Will's eyes twinkled like bight sapphires. "Ahh but that's why Jessamine is so upset. There simply isn't anything between her ears." Will winked at her with a broad infectious grin. Despite the strange situation she'd found herself in the corner of her lips quirked upwards.

Jessamine ignored Will's barb and continued, "So you admit you're a prostitute. See case closed Charlotte, that's obviously why she was at a brothel."

"Actually I admitted to being a civilized person. Seems Will's assessment of you wasn't far off." Tessa responded acerbically- as acerbically as possible in a hoarse whisper.

Will laughed with delight at Jessamine's embarrassed spluttering. Sophie seemed to be smiling behind the wine glass she was drinking from. Charlotte looked exasperated and Henry had an air of distraction as if his mind were elsewhere. Jessamine narrowed her eyes at Tessa, "There's no call to be rude-"

Charlotte broke in before she could continue, "That's quite enough Jessamine. We've already determined that Tessa wasn't an employee. And I told you as much before dinner." Jessamine didn't look appeased and glared at Tessa for having been chastised. Charlotte turned her attention towards Tessa, "Can you tell us how you came to be in the Dark House and what those people wanted from you?"

Years of ingrained wariness stopped Tessa from answering. These people were strangers with unknown motives, _information is power_ , her mentor's voice floated though her mind. Tessa shook her head, "You said you would tell me about the Institute and who you are when we talked next."

Charlotte didn't look pleased with her evasiveness, "Please answer the question, Tessa. We rescued you from being tortured and saved your life in the process, the least you can do is help us resolve this mess."

"Kidnapping, you mean. I was transported here by Mr. Herondale by force, against my will and without a lawful excuse. Those are the conditions for a kidnapping according to the law in England and Wales, is it not? For all I know you could be working with the same people. This could be an elaborate trick to get me to talk to you."

"I prefer to be called Will, and I do insist on calling it a rescue. I had a 'lawful excuse' as you say. You were in danger and losing blood rapidly. Besides don't I look like Sir Galahad?" He raised his arms dramatically. "'My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure—'"

"Enough with the theatrics, Will. You are right, Tessa, you have no reason to trust us yet. As I mentioned before you are at the London Institute- we are... a special branch of the Interpol. We found the Dark House during an investigation of a murdered young girl. Perhaps now you can tell us what you know."

Tessa froze, Interpol- a freaking _special_ branch of the Interpol. The very people she'd evaded since she began her chosen career. The one time she slipped up, and she revealed her identity to the fucking Interpol!

"Tessa, it's natural to be dazzled by my beauty but could you please answer Charlotte?" Will's cocky voice broke through her panic.

" _If_ you are Interpol, perhaps I need legal counsel. This is beginning to feel like an illegal interrogation."

"Only guilty people need lawyers," Jessamine sounded pleased with this turn of events.

Tessa snorted, "Only foolish people think they do not need lawyers."

"Tessa, we just need to know what happened, and then we'll let you go." Sophie finally decided to speak up. She'd been rather quiet until now.

"Meaning that if I do not speak, I will be held here indefinitely. Now this feels like illegal detainment." Tessa stated trying to maintain her calm. Charlotte had stopped eating and was perusing something on a tablet device.

"Ms. Gray we have been patient with you, but you are hindering our investigation and possibly putting other lives at risk. You are American, and yet there are no records of a Theresa Gray that matches your description having entered the country. In fact, you have never been issued a passport by the US government or a visa by our Government. As such you are an illegal in this country. We can charge you with a host of criminal acts based on that alone. You could spend months in much worse conditions than this, if you do not cooperate." Ahh the bad cop routine. Yes, these people really were cops.

* * *

"Do it then," The girl replied calmly. Her voice had gotten stronger. Charlotte looked stunned for a fraction of a moment before covering it. But Tessa picked up on it. The girl was astute; he'd give her that. "But you can't do that. The moment you process me- the story will leak. Something this 'scintillating'… someone will talk to the media" She said softly studying the people around the table. "It'd be a proper circus… and any leads or informants you have now would vanish in smoke."

Everyone but Henry was watching her closely, surprised at her recalcitrance… and the unnerving accuracy with which she'd called Charlotte's bluff. They'd thought after her ordeal she would be happy to open up to them if they showed her kindness. Will knew Charlotte would have been kind even if the circumstances were different. The girl couldn't have known that though- not with how tough Charlotte pretended to be.

Charlotte brought out the last ace she had up her sleeve. "The people that were holding you down there… those that managed to survive the blast… We found them murdered a few blocks away. They were staged as a message. Someone was clearly unhappy that you got away. It seems likely to assume you are being targeted, we can keep you safe here. This is a veritable fortress- no one can get in or out unless we let them."

Tessa drank a sip of wine as she thought. She looked nervous, perhaps Charlotte was finally making progress. Then surprisingly she shook her head. She spoke slowly carefully choosing her words. "You can't protect me. Something like that operating in the thick of a residential area? Had to have influential backers. If they want me your _fortress_ will stop nothing. You are beholden to your superiors, to your laws, you follow _orders. That_ is what you do. You could make me all the promises in the world but they would count for nothing the moment someone above you decides differently. Perhaps you care for my well-being, you have provided me medical care and food, and I am grateful but my _protection_ is not your priority. You will use me as bait the moment it becomes a feasible strategy. Do not try to deny it. Besides for all you know my captors could have people working in your very _special_ branch of the Interpol too. The only reason I am alive is by not talking, it has worked for me so far and I intend to stick to it. There is nothing you could offer me that will make me change my mind."

The table looked at her in stunned silence, mostly because she wasn't wrong. About anything. Yes, the Institute was a fortress- but no place was fool proof. And yes, they would have used her as bait if the situation called for it- similar things had been done in the past. And she wasn't wrong, someone associated with the Institute could very well be working for the other team. Though Will fervently hoped it wasn't so.

Seeing that her words had the desired result, Tessa stood up, "I will go back to my room now, if you won't let me leave or provide access to legal counsel."

She was halfway towards the door when Charlotte spoke again. "There is something we can offer you- your brother." Tessa paused misstep and breathed deeply a few times before turning around and waited for Charlotte to explain. Everyone looked surprised, even Henry. Charlotte hadn't shared the murders with the others but Will had known since he'd been at the scene. This information about her brother was completely new to him too. He resented being kept in the dark.

* * *

Charlotte gestured for the others to leave and give her space to talk with Tessa alone, now that she finally had a hook with which to reel her in. But Will refused to leave, he felt responsible for this vulnerable nervous girl. She talked tough and but he could see how hard she was trying not to give in to panic at being surrounded by strangers and being manipulated to talk. She wasn't even at full health yet. Charlotte frowned at him but he merrily grinned back at her and followed Tessa to Charlotte's study.

"We can help you find him. Unlike you, there is a clear trail for one Nathaniel Gray that the people who tortured you claimed to have in their custody." Charlotte said with the authority of her position from behind her massive desk hoping to impress on the girl that they, with their resources, were her only hope.

"How do you know this?" Tessa asked calmly from across the table- not showing intimidation even if she felt it. "Quid pro quo." Tessa said with a thin smile devoid of amusement. Will was a tad impressed. Most people would have been spewing their guts with the way Charlotte had handled things… or begging for information about their loved ones.

Charlotte narrowed her eyes in frustration, "Very well, I will tell you what we know first. There was a camera in the room where you were held, we found footage for only a few hours before Will rescued you. Your brother's name was mentioned during it. You kept demanding to see him- and they said they would if you told them where 'it is'. If not for that video, I would think you were just another victim of their nefarious business but someone was paying them to extract this information from you. How did you end up there? What were they referring to?"

"I do not know," Tessa said softly.

"Ms. Gray you are trying my patience. I have told you what I know; now help us get to the bottom of this, if you want to find your brother."

Tessa dropped her head into her hands looking defeated- every line of her body screamed despair and exhaustion. "Nate- Nathaniel came to London last year for work. Some pharmaceutical company. He entreated me and my aunt to join him here. I'd been estranged from them, so my agreement to move here was the first I'd contacted them in years."

"So you came here to live with him? How did you do that without a passport or passing through customs?" Will asked curiously. Charlotte gave him a death glare for interrupting when she was finally about to receive some answers.

"I didn't." Tessa continued morosely. "Aunt Harriet mysteriously took ill and died before I returned home. I was abducted from her funeral and brought to _that_ place. They wanted some formula and a device. After the things they put me through- I would have given them anything, but I didn't know what any of it meant. When everything else failed they threatened Nate. Said someone called the Magister had him and would kill him if I didn't talk. I don't know what they want Ms. Branwell, your guess is as good as mine. All I know is that Nate is out there somewhere, I can only hope that he is still alive." Tessa's hoarse voice- this time from emotion- held the ring of truth. She really didn't know why she'd been forced to live through hell.

"You seem awfully calm for someone who was trafficked to a different country." Will pointed out. She actually seemed too calm for everything that had happened so far.

Tessa looked up and replied very seriously, "I had the shock of hearing British accents literally shocked out of me, Will." If he hadn't been observing her as closely as he was, he wouldn't have seen the small quirk of her lips as she glanced briefly at him. The girl could still make a joke! Will laughed much to Charlotte's displeasure.

Charlotte continued seriously choosing to ignore the _electric_ topic. "The answer must be in your past. Why weren't you living at home? What have you been doing in the years since?"

"I had a disagreement with my aunt- petty stuff. Seemed important at the time. So I left, and then I liked the freedom so I stayed away. I worked odd jobs and traveled the country. The closest I got to a formula was when I worked as a bartender." Will smothered another laugh lest Charlotte throw him out.

"Did Nate perhaps send you or your aunt something he shouldn't have from his work? Pharmaceutical companies go to great lengths to protect their secrets- this wouldn't be beyond belief."

Tessa shook her head, "Just chocolates and tea for Aunt Harriet that I know of. I never left an address for packages or letters. I suppose it's possible- it makes more sense than anything else that has happened to me."

"What about your parents?"

"They died when I was five. Car accident." Tessa replied emotionlessly.

There was quiet in the room, Charlotte was trying to think of more questions to ask. Tessa moved to the window and stared outside. "I've told you what I know. Do you really intend to help find my brother?"

"We would have regardless, we'll start looking at his work and correspondence tomorrow."

"Am I free to leave then?" Tessa asked. She had to know the request was pointless. Charlotte couldn't let her go, not with her life at risk, and not when she didn't have anywhere else to go. The girl had no ID, no money, no family. Besides both Will and Charlotte had the sense that Ms. Gray hadn't been completely honest. They would need to check every detail of her story- and if true look into its implications. For her to have been abducted in the US and transported here hinted at a larger problem than the one they had discovered. What was really going on- a murdered girl, another that was kidnapped and transported to a different country and tortured for information about formulas and devices, a despicable business with workers linked to the Pandemonium- a well known S&M club. And now this Nathaniel held captive by some Magister.

Will and Charlotte shared a look. "Your life is at risk. This is the safest place for you." Charlotte responded diplomatically.

"Can I use the phone or the internet then? I would like to let people know I'm still alive." That was another thing Charlotte couldn't allow, if these people had gone to such lengths to get her, then any outside person she talked to could be monitored or actively working with her erstwhile captors.

"If your story is true, it is safest- for them and for you- to think you're dead." Tessa winced at Charlotte's bluntness. "Think of this as witness protection. We will provide you with anything you need. As soon as we know your life isn't at risk, you will be free to go."

" _If_ my story is true... _Witness Protection_ ," Tessa's body shook as she let out a harsh laugh and turned to face them with a cold look, "Typical police, deny me my rights and claim it is for me, when none of this is for my benefit. At least have the decency to admit that _protection_ is a glorified term for prisoner." Her large grey eyes were moist and her voice laden with emotions as she kept her tears in check.

Charlotte didn't comment but Tessa's words had stung the soft-heart that still existed beneath the tough exterior she had cultivated for her job. Will knew Charlotte cared about Tessa's well-being, and all the other innocents caught up in this nefarious web. Charlotte was taking a huge risk by allowing Tessa to remain here- this was a secret building of a secret organization- she would have to battle it out with her superiors for Tessa's continued stay but she would do it. When Charlotte saw Tessa, she saw an orphan who'd run from home and lost her family before she could reunite with them. Someone who had undergone tremendous trauma… and was still trying to be brave and hopeful for her brother. Charlotte didn't have the heart to turn her out on to the street, it was how she'd come to informally adopt Will, Jem, and even Jessamine. Charlotte was as much a prisoner of her desire to do good, as Tessa was of not realizing that they really did want to help her.

"We are all prisoners but some of us are in cells with windows and some without." Will quoted as Tessa headed past him towards the door.

She slowed and turned to look at him, "'Strange that we all defend our wrongs with more vigor than we do our rights.'" She quoted the next line to him tonelessly, "I've never found Khalil Gibran to be particularly comforting."

And it clicked! She was _that_ girl. _The_ girl from the Devil's Tavern. The one that had taken the address from him. The one that he'd dreamed about every night since! She'd been at a bar flirting with him- just a few days ago- why would she lie about being trafficked… _why would she lie about anything_?

"Will," Charlotte's urgent voice broke him out of his spell. "Yeah?" He asked still dazed. He knew he should tell Charlotte everything but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Tessa was hiding something because she was scared but he didn't sense nefarious intentions behind them. He didn't want to share his memory of this fascinating girl with anyone. It was _theirs_ \- hers and his and he liked the thought of it remaining secret between them. Something to bond them with.

"With the way you're staring after her, I dread your intentions but can you go after her to make sure she makes it to her room?" The institute hallways were maze like and confusing for someone not accustomed to it. Heart beating rapidly, he ran out of the door, after the mysterious Tessa Gray before Charlotte even finished her sentence.

* * *

 _AN: I'm not a lawyer or a cop or a thief or a con artist... hence there might be gross inaccuracies in the things I write. And I am aware that the Interpol is just an information sharing organization... they don't actually investigate or arrest people and all that... but it was the best I could think of._


	4. Chapter 4

"Lost?" inquired a voice behind her. Tessa had been counting her steps trying to get a feel for the layout as she walked around. Desperation was beginning to claw in at just the thought that she couldn't leave this place and she hadn't even been a prisoner for a day. Tessa turned and saw Will leaning carelessly against the wall behind her, as if he were lounging in a doorway, his feet in their scuffed boots crossed in front of him. He took studied nonchalance to an entirely different level.

"You ought to let me show you around the Institute a bit, Miss Gray," he suggested. "You know, so you don't get lost again. Of course, you can simply continue wandering about on your own if you really wish to," he added. "I ought to warn you, though, that there are at least three or four floors in the Institute that you really shouldn't venture into. There's the one that leads to the area where we keep trapped demons, for instance. They can get a bit nasty. Then there is the weapons room. Some of the weapons have a mind of their own, and they are sharp. Then there are the rooms that open onto empty air. They're meant to confuse intruders, but when you're as high as the top of a church, you don't want to accidentally slip and—"

"I rather like the idea of a room that opens onto empty air… it would be more refreshing than this maze I've been confined to." Tessa said with a roll of her eyes.

Will's grin widened, "Come, I'll give you a tour of our Grand Institute, it should be more entertaining than walking around on your own."

She shrugged, he was right… plus he might show her something useful without realizing it. Will guided her down a succession of identical-looking corridors, talking as they walked. He told her how many rooms the Institute had (more than you could count), told her how many agents could live in it at once (hundreds), and displayed for her the vast ballroom where an annual Christmas party and other high profile events were held. After the ballroom came the kitchen, a large clean modern space that could easily cater to hundreds of people. Will took several chocolate tarts from the plate where they had been left to cool on a wire. Tessa wondered who'd baked them. Will offered one to Tessa.

She shuddered. "Oh, no. I hate chocolate."

Will looked horrified. "What kind of monster could possibly hate chocolate?"

Tessa watched him swallow down three tarts. "You're going to get fat with all that sugar." She grinned amused at the idea of a fat Will. He would probably be adorable like a cuddly blue eyed teddy bear.

"Nahh I train for hours each day. If I don't eat more tarts, I'll vanish. Wait is that why _you_ hate chocolate?"

Tessa made a face, "I don't like the weird taste of it. If you've got cream puffs or jam doughnuts, I'll devour them faster than you can eat those tarts."

His eyes glittered with amusement. "Oh, I can arrange for those. We are so having an epic eating showdown soon." There was a smudge of chocolate at the corner of his mouth… despite her aversion to chocolate, it was tempting to lick it away. She didn't of course.

"Oh, the horror! I'm terrified now!" Tessa replied sarcastically, but she couldn't hide the fact that she was entertained and suitably distracted.

They went from the kitchen to the music room. Down a set of stairs was the drawing room. After that there was the weapons room- a very fine one… it was almost like a museum. Fortunately, none of the weapons were sentient as Will had warned. There _were_ certain areas she wasn't allowed access to however, as he'd mentioned. Two layers of the basement, and the third floor were off limits. She was curious as hell to learn more… but there were bio-metric scans, pass cards and key codes in place to keep her out. Similar features existed on all doors leading out. She didn't see anyone but them as they walked through the cavernous walls… so why then were there so many rooms and… why did some 'agents' live in the Institute… weren't they supposed to log in for work and then go home at the end of the day?

Will mentioned a stable. He sounded very fond of Balios and Xanthos, and offered to take her riding around the property another day. The Institute had its own private park enclosed by the massive stone wall she'd seen before. Tessa marveled at the Institute's resources- to own almost an entire of block of prime real estate in London… it was unimaginable to her.

Walking around the impressive building, and realizing she couldn't go beyond them made Tessa wish dearly for those doors that opened out onto open space. It would be an ideal escape- from the building and the trouble that always followed from tangling with the police. As entertaining as Will's tour was, she was starting to feel hopeless and despondent again.

Finally, Will led her into a room that made her forget her Cleithrophobia. The library. With books she could, and often did, escape into a different world. The room was immense, two floors with circular staircase leading to the high floor. Rows upon rows of bookshelves stood at intervals but the books inside were hidden behind screens of fretted metal fitted with fingerprint scanners to prevent unauthorized access.

"This is the Great Library," said Will. "Every Institute has a library, but this one is the largest of them all—the largest in the West, at any rate." He leaned against the door, his arms crossed over his chest.

"How has no one ever tried to rob this place? There must be hundreds of rare editions here." Tessa whispered in awe. This place was one of those _great jobs_ that people in her profession talked about… the one they would retire after _if_ they could ever pull it off. The books here must be worth millions!

"Probably because no one knows it exists. Besides most of these books are in dead languages and detail arcane magic and other strange things. None of them work of course, but people in the past wrote them, and the institute collected them- a safe guard of knowledge. I believe there has been talk about digitizing… I don't see the point though. No one actually reads them- except me. And only because I was bored. Still the Institutes take no chance with preserving them"

"One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us." Books had always been her refuge, and she loved the idea of them… even old arcane illegible ones like these. Besides Will had to be wrong… there had to be rare treasures here, why else lock them away in the library of a fortress behind screens with fingerprint scanners?

"I'm not sure a book has ever changed me," said Will. "Well, there is one volume here that promises to teach one how to turn oneself into an entire flock of sheep."

Tessa chuckled at the idea of a flock of sheep the color of Will's hair with his face and starling blue eyes, and then remembered something he'd said before. "Wait did you say other Institutes? How many are there? Are they all like this?"

"There is one in most major cities of the world. Most are built on old churches like this. Our early founders had ideas about consecrated grounds." Will paused looking at her intently, he seemed to be trying to decide something. "Now, follow me Ms. Gray, I know you like to read and as antiquated as the building and this library seem to be, we do have some newer books in English as well. By newer I mean classics."

She followed him up one of the spiral staircases and past some shelves. "Call me Tessa! And how do you know I like to read?" She asked as she looked over the titles on the shelf he indicated. Had her reaction to seeing these books been that obvious?

He chuckled with amusement, "But it was how we met- with me spouting quotes and you naming the authors." Tessa froze for a moment, then forced herself to relax and behave naturally. She had hoped he wouldn't recognize her.

"I don't know what you're-" She began but was hushed by a soft "You do," from Will who was now behind her instead of leaning against the shelf.

She didn't dare face him- it would be easier to lie if he couldn't see her face. His warm body pressed lightly against her, pinning her in place. Her heart hammered like a drum, but she couldn't determine whether it was fear or desire. Both she supposed, there was something about danger that was so alluring. Possibly why she'd chosen her current profession- it wasn't as if she couldn't have gotten a regular job.

He snaked his fingers into her hair and swept it away from her face- intentionally brushing her neck with each deliberate languid stroke. He used the motion to tilt her head back and to the side so it rested against his shoulder. The other hand wrapped around her waist almost possessively. She felt like a mouse held in a cat's grip, yet unlike mice she had no desire to get away. She felt safe with him despite what he'd just revealed. She couldn't understand it- maybe she was lulled into stupidity by desire. She could see them in her mind's eye, her with her neck bared to him as if he were a ravenous vampire, the eroticism of the image made her skin flush.

"You had boring dark eyes, purple hair and cakes of make-up that night. Even a British accent and you wore very unflattering jeans and leather jacket." His feverish breath against her hair made her arms erupt in goosebumps. God he was distracting! "Angel knows I should remember, I've dreamt of it- of you- every night since." The soft intimate murmur of his voice against her ear made concentrating on the lies she needed to stick to that much more difficult.

Tessa could feel her body responding to his- her already shallow breath became raspy making her chest heave, her nipples hardened into stiff points poking through the insubstantial inbuilt support of her dress, warmth spread through her stomach. She could feel his gaze over her like a physical presence, her back arched slightly of its own accord giving him silent assent. He swallowed heavily, his hands tightened against her waist… his other hand curled around her hair pulling right to that sweet edge between pain and pleasure making her whimper softly. He wanted this as much as she did, she could feel it.

Despite the way he snarled her thoughts, she managed to whisper a denial- not of her desire for him- there was no denying that- but of her presence at the bar. "You're mistaken. That couldn't have been me."

"Perhaps," He tipped his head lower as he spoke, lips trailing tantalizingly close to the skin of her throat. She felt his words on her neck more than she heard them. "But I know I'm not."

Her lips that had been parted in anticipation of a kiss were left wanting. The warm of his body abruptly faded leaving her stunned. She turned in confusion to see Will standing at the opposite shelf.

"It's late," Will said brusquely, looking away from her. "I should show you back to your room. Is there something you want to read here, Miss Gray, or is there not? Name it, and I shall attempt to free it from its prison for you."

"Will" Her whispered voice was a plea- but for what? For him to keep her secret, for him to take her in his arms again and kiss her until she forgot everything? For this to be some bad dream- she'd practically thrown herself at him twice now and he'd rejected her each time. The last time she'd had the consolation that she'd never see him again. This time she'd relive the embarrassment every time she saw him.

"There's Oliver Twist, if you like Dickens." Was his reply.

"William" She whispered again unable to keep her fears from lacing the word.

Will's hands clenched into fists at his side, his posture rigid. Anger, Tessa supposed. "I wish you hadn't taken the address from me that night." He said in a distant voice. But what did that mean for her? Was he going to tell? What would they do to her?

"Please Will… What...," She couldn't complete the question. Asking it felt like an admission of guilt- something she was loath to do. Even worse, he'd think she'd been trying to seduce him to keep herself out of trouble. Was that why he'd moved away? Because he was disgusted by her?

"I won't tell, Tessa. That's what you want to know, isn't it?" The harshness of his voice made her flinch. His voice became marginally less harsh, "Keep your secrets- _for now_. But know that secrets have their own weight, and it can be a heavy one."

She tried to speak, to say something… But like she'd reminded herself before- as _Tessa_ she had no armor, no defenses. She'd never been in a situation like this before. She hated the helplessness but willed herself not to cry- never in front of strangers, especially her captors. Her earlier fear of being trapped came back to her, now mingled with the desire to be free of the strings Will had on her. She was brought out of her thoughts by him, "So Oliver Twist?"

"Yeah, Oliver Twist is fine, Mr. Herondale. You can escort your prisoner to her cell now." She replied tonelessly, unable to find her usual enthusiasm for books. The ruthless quashing of her inner turmoil had left her numb and exhausted.

He didn't bother to contradict her use of the term prisoner. He didn't speak again either- merely removed the book and headed out of the library with the expectation that she would follow. She paid attention to where she went even as she was absorbed in her thoughts.

Will had said he wouldn't tell- so Tessa had to believe that- but why? And for how long? She could hear the time on her freedom (as tenuous as it was) ticking towards an end. She had to get out of here and make contact with the outside world. She had to know what she was mixed up in, and if others she'd worked with had been targeted as well. She'd never been involved in any job related to a formula or a device. Most of her heists involved art, jewels and rare books. Occasionally they'd stolen information but nothing like what those torturers had wanted. And this 'Magister' who had Nate… perhaps, Ragnor Fell, her mentor, could look into who it was.

Before she knew it, Will left her at her door and walked away before she could thank him. Sleep wasn't likely to be easy with the state she was in. Still she changed for bed and dived into a reread of Oliver Twist to keep her fears from overwhelming her. Words on the page slid together, blurring as Tessa's vision blurred in exhaustion. She closed her eyes—and was instantly dreaming.

* * *

In the dream she danced through whirling smoke down a hall lined with mirrors, and each mirror she passed showed her a different face. The faces she'd donned for various roles- all calm except when she caught flashes of her own which was twisted with fear. She could hear lovely, haunting music. It seemed to come from some distance away, and yet was all around.

She tried to find her way out of the mirrored hallway but every turn just showed infinitely more reflected mirrored hallways. At the edge of each mirror some dark shape came closer to her with a wire that flared with bright blue sparks at the end. She began to run from hallway to hallway but she was lost in a sea of reflected hallways with no end- no exit. She was trapped and the dark shape was coming closer to torture her again. As she ran and ran- the music rose and rose to a crescendo—

And Tessa woke, breathing hard, the book sliding off her lap as she sat up. The dream was gone, but the music remained, high and haunting and sweet. She wasn't likely to fall asleep again. A distraction was in order. She made her way to the door and followed the music, louder now in the hallway, to the door across from hers. It was locked, but she'd found a pin earlier. She deftly unlocked the door, and opened just a small wedge to peer in. Notes poured through the opening like water through the narrow neck of a vase.

The music was hypnotic, and the door swung open without her intending it to. The room was dark, lit only by moonlight pouring in through the window. Someone stood in front of it with a violin- cheek rested against the instrument, and the bow sawed back and forth over the strings, wringing notes out of it, notes as fine and perfect as anything Tessa had ever heard.

"Will, is that you?"He said, without opening his eyes or ceasing to play.

Tessa stayed quiet- not wanting to interrupt the music—but he broke it off himself, lowered his bow and opened his eyes with a frown.

"Will—," he started, and then, seeing Tessa, his lips parted in surprise. "You're not Will." He sounded curious, but not annoyed, despite the fact that Tessa had broken into his room in the middle of the night and surprised him in his pajamas... or what Tessa assumed were his pajamas- loose-fitting trousers and a collarless shirt, with a black silk dressing gown tied loosely over them.

He wasn't much older than her, probably Will's age. He was tall but very slender, and disappearing below the collar of his shirt, she could see the curling edges of a thick black tattoo. She peered at his face, the moonlight made his pale skin shine, his hair was pale silver, as well as his angular eyes. There was only two words to describe him- surreal and ethereally attractive. _Well three words_ , Tessa amended mentally. She realized she was staring.

"I'm sorry," she said, clearing her throat. The noise sounded too loud in the silence of the room. "I—I didn't mean to come in here like this. It's— my room is across the hall, and …"

"That's all right." He lowered the violin from his shoulder. "Though how you got in is a mystery. That door has been locked for years- I use the one over there." Tessa followed his eyes to see another door that was partially open to a dimly lit modern lounge. Tessa blushed, stupid of her to go unlocking door when she didn't know what was behind them. "You're Miss Gray, aren't you? Will told me a bit about you."

"Oh," What had Will said? Tessa was suddenly very apprehensive.

"Oh?" The boy's eyebrows rose. "You don't sound terribly pleased that I know who you are."

"I had a bit of a misunderstanding with Will." Tessa explained. "So whatever he told you—"

He laughed. "That happens with everyone when it comes to Will," he said. "I don't let it color my judgment." Err, and suddenly Tessa had a feeling they weren't talking about the same thing. But it seemed Will had kept his word. Tessa sighed in relief.

Moonlight spilled off the polished surface of the violin as he turned to lay it down on top of the wardrobe, the bow beside it. The instrument looked old, and he held it almost reverently. The thief part of Tessa idly wondered how much it was worth. When he turned back to her, he was smiling. "I should have introduced myself earlier," he said. "I'm James Carstairs. Please call me Jem—everyone does."

"Oh, Jem... I'd thought there was a girl called Gem- like diamonds or rubies! You weren't at dinner," Tessa laughed and then sobered up when she recalled dinner. "Charlotte said you were ill. Are you feeling better?"

He shrugged. "Nothing as precious as that- just Jem with a J. Charlotte tends to worry too much. I was tired, that's all." Tessa also recalled Jessamine saying he was ill often. But he had a right to his privacy- she didn't go around telling everyone her problems, so she didn't expect him to do the same either.

"Well, it must be tiring, doing what you all do." She replied diplomatically.

"Sometimes, but I like what I do, so it's worth it." Jem smiled. Tessa sighed internally. Two super fine guys, both cops. The cosmos was playing sick jokes on her!

"Why'd you decide to join this line of work? How many hours do you work? Why do you guys live here and not at your own homes? What makes you like it so much? You play the violin so beautifully… why would you trade a life of making music- something that can bring so much joy and light for a life steeped in violence and darkness?" Damn! She'd gotten better at not spouting every question that popped into her head.

He interrupted her, bemused. "Whoa, slow down… those are a lot of questions!"

"I've been told curiosity is my besetting sin. I _have_ tempered it over the years." Tessa shrugged and flashed him a smile, "Something about you makes me want to ask though."

"As sins go, it isn't the worst one." He sat down on an antique steamer trunk at the foot of the bed, and regarded her with a curious gravity. "So go ahead; ask me whatever you want. I can't sleep anyway, and distractions are welcome."

Something they both had in common then- inability to sleep and a need for distractions. She sat down on the rug near the trunk and leaned her shoulder against it- she was too tired to stand. It felt too intimate to sit next to him on the steamer, but she belatedly realized this position wasn't that much better. "Hmm let's start with the first one, Mr. Carstairs." She smiled again looking up at him. "Why this job?"

"That is a difficult question to answer Ms. Gray. Not because I don't know the answer but because the story is just too long. Perhaps we can start with something easier?" He smiled gently but there was a gentleness to him that made her calm- let her know she wasn't stepping on unknown boundaries.

"Where are you from?" He looked surprised so she explained "There's the slightest hint of foreignness to your accent."

"Not even born and bred Englishmen have detected that before. I'm impressed. Ms. Gray."

"Tessa, unless you want me to continue calling you Mr. Carstairs?"

He shook his head emphatically at the idea of being called Mr. Carstairs. "Very well, Tessa. I grew up in Shanghai," Jem said. "You know where that is?"

"China," said Tessa with indignation. "Doesn't everyone know that?"

Jem grinned. "You'd be surprised."

"Were your parents working in China or were they one of those tourists who fell in love with the place and just backpacked for years towing you along?" Tessa asked, with honest interest. She'd met people who'd traveled to odd corners of the world with their kids and pets. She found it fascinating. She was used to moving around alone… what would it be like to do that with others- with family?

"Institute agents live all over the world. My mother was Chinese; my father was British. They met in London and moved to Shanghai when he was offered the position of running the Institute there."

"You make it sound like being an agent is hereditary."

"It sort of is… most of us grow up in a certain culture and we tend to gravitate towards what we've known all our lives. The Institute tends to take care of their own… so when my parents passed away, I came to live here."

"Oh, I didn't know. I'm sorry about your parents." Tessa felt lame saying that. She'd grown up hearing it and it made no sense to her, but now that she was on the other side she found herself parroting the same words that had irked her so many times.

"I still miss them, but it has been many years. I've learned to live with their absence." He studied her carefully. Not in the intense way Will tended to do, but with a gentle curiosity. Everything about him was gentle and graceful. "I apologize for asking, but—your parents are dead, aren't they?"

"Did Will tell you that?"

"He didn't need to. We orphans learn to recognize one another. If I might ask—were you very young when it happened?"

"I was five when they died. Car accident. I hardly remember them." She had only tiny flashes of them—the scent of dad's cigarette smoke, or the lilac of her mother's dress, the waft of gardenia when she gave her a hug. "My aunt raised me. And my brother, Nathaniel. My aunt, though—" At this, to her surprise, her throat began to tighten. Sadness for a woman she had been estranged from for years. A vivid picture of Aunt Harriet came to her mind- her in her coffin taking the answers to so many questions that Tessa never had a chance to ask to her grave. "She died recently- unexpectedly."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Jem said, and he genuinely did sound sorry. She gave him a half smile. Tessa couldn't understand what she felt sad over- the loss of her aunt or the loss of a chance at clarity for her past.

"It was terrible because I had finally decided to give her another chance. We had plans to move here- to be a family again. Missed opportunities, I suppose." Tessa swallowed heavily. She hadn't realized how much that had meant to her until now. Jem was easy to talk to and she found herself wanting to share it all- all the things she'd never spoken of before- her running away, of her estrangement, of her longing for family.

She found herself speaking of Nate though, possibly because his fate was so heavy on her mind, "Nate moved here last year. He'd sent presents for Aunt Harriet. Maybe he would have sent me some too, if I'd left an address for him. He asked us to join him as soon as he settled in but I never responded. I finally agreed after months of pleas. He'd sent plane tickets and hired a cargo company. But then he went quiet and Aunt Harriet passed away... and now he is a hostage- or dead. And there is so much I might never be able to say to him." Tessa broke off, her eyes stinging. Nate hadn't been her favorite person, but he was family. He had been a wonderful brother before he started gambling. "I'm sorry. I'm maundering on. You don't need to hear all this."

"What sort of man is your brother? What is he like?"

Tessa looked at Jem with a little surprise at the unexpected question. "Aunt used to say he was a dreamer," She said. "He always lived in his head. He never cared about how things were, only how they would be, someday, when he had everything he wanted. He used to gamble, a bit too much- because losing wasn't a part of his dreams."

"Dreams can be dangerous things."

"Yes, they can." She shook her head. "But he'd joined a program for his gambling addiction after he moved here. I remember how devoted he was to me after our parent's accident, he was the perfect brother then. Perhaps that is what made me want to reconcile with him again. The memory of what he was. Of what he could have been." Her voice choked up again. What was it about Jem that she was just pouring out all these truths that she hadn't spoken aloud, or even admitted to herself before.

"Why'd you leave home? You seem to have such regrets about it."

Tessa shook her head, "No, I don't regret it in the slightest. But that is a difficult question to answer Mr. Carstairs. Not because I don't know the answer but because the story is just too long." She winked at him to let him know she wasn't upset that he'd asked. "Perhaps we can continue with something easier?"

Jem laughed, a wonderful honest sound that made her lips quirk up too. The tattoo on his chest came into view again when he tipped his head back and Tessa found her hand tracing the thick visible line. He stopped laughing abruptly and sucked in a breath. Tessa blushed furiously and took her hand away. She chastised herself mentally- _way to make things awkward Tessa!_ What was wrong with her tonight? Throwing herself at Will, pawing Jem!

"What does it represent," She asked in a small voice hoping he wasn't too put off by her. For some unfathomable reason- she wanted him to like her. The idea of being in his bad graces made her feel nauseous.

"A mark of brotherhood. Will and I tattooed each other. It sounds cool but it was rather dorky. He found this ritual of sorts in one of the old books in the library and insisted on carrying it out with me. It took him half a year to convince me- but he did."

"I'm intrigued. Please tell me more- and describe the dorkiness in detail, if you will."

Jem grinned at her boyishly, "As the lady wishes but would you terribly mind joining me on the terrace? My room is rather stuffy and I feel the need for some fresh air."

"Is that a euphemism for cigarette, Jem?" She teased as she stood up and followed him out to the lounge and then through to the terrace- which to her dismay required a retinal scan, fingerprint scan _and_ a key code!

The space was large, roofed with glass panes and thick beams of wood. On one side was an outdoor sofa set with a thick foam mattress and throw pillows around a square fire pit table. The other side held a round swing chair- large enough for two people to curl up and sleep in. Overall, it was a very cozy inviting space.

"Err no, I don't smoke but Will keeps some around for show, if you want one." Jem handed her a carved wooden box filled with cartons of cigarettes, and started a fire. It was the only light aside from the small glow from the lounge inside.

"For show, indeed." She studied the options available- Lambert & Butler, Camel, Pall Mall, Davidoff and two others whose names she couldn't read because it was in a foreign language. "He's trying too hard. People his age stick to one brand, often, Marlboro." Tessa selected a Camel, Jem held out a lighter for her and handed her a crystal ashtray.

Tessa took in a deep puff and carefully blew the smoke away from him. The smoke and being out in the open relaxed her slightly. But her fears weren't gone, she knew she'd have to go back in again. She took another long drag to calm her nerves… and leaned her head back against the back of the sofa.

"Do you smoke often?" Jem asked curiously.

"No, very rarely actually" Tessa stared at the night sky through the glass above her. "It can be soothing sometimes. But really Jem, bring on the dorkiness! I'm dying of curiosity here."

Jem chuckled at her earnest inquisitiveness and proceeded to tell her about something called the Parabatai ceremony and the oath they'd taken and some of the crazy things Jem made Will do to prove that he was serious about 'having their souls knit into one.' Hearing Jem talk in his calm quiet manner soothed her as much as his music had. She listened rapt, and turned to watch his expression change and his eyes flashed when he found something amusing.

"Did it hurt?" She asked finally.

"I cried a bit. Not ashamed to admit it. Will bawled like a baby though. But he still wont admit it, even after 6 years!"

"I've never felt strongly enough about anything to have my skin marked. What if I stopped liking it later and regretted it?"

"There must be something you like immensely enough. You do not strike me as a dispassionate person."

"Books- I adore them. But my skin wouldn't be enough for all the ink that would need."

The air was cool despite the fire, Jem procured a blanket from a large wooden crate that doubled as a side table. They sat like that for a while, on opposite ends of the cozy rattan sofa, partially covered by blankets. Tessa felt peaceful- she didn't know if it was Jem's presence, the cigarette that now lay in ashes or being in the open air but she treasured it while it lasted.

"Why can't you sleep?" Jem asked softly. She looked at him quizzically. "It's flattering to think you're depriving yourself of sleep for my benefit but that wouldn't be true. You're exhausted and yet I sense a reluctance to head back inside- to sleep. Why so?"

She smiled, she knew it looked sad but she didn't want to lie or deflect with Jem- because she sensed instinctively that he wouldn't lie to her either. "And as flattering as is it to imagine _you're_ here merely to give me company and distraction, I know it wouldn't be true. You can't sleep either, can you?"

A look of hesitancy flashed across his face before he spoke. "I have bad dreams." He wasn't lying but there was more to it than that… same as with her.

"Nightmares," Tessa agreed, "Old ones and new. I dreamed about your music as well."

He grinned. "Was I that terrible, then?"

"No. It was lovely. The loveliest thing I've heard since I came to this horrible city." She replied earnestly.

"London isn't horrible," Jem said equably. "You simply have to get to know it. You must come with me out into London someday. I can show you the parts of it that are beautiful—that I love."

"Singing the praises of our fair city?" a light voice inquired.

"That too to a prisoner" Tessa murmured dryly as she turned to see Will, leaning against the frame of the doorway. She was determined to pretend as if the library incident had never happened. She was glad for the dim lighting that hid her suddenly flushed cheeks.

Jem appeared unsurprised by Will's sudden appearance but his attention remained fixed on Tessa, "Prisoner?"

"Mrs. Branwell feels that being a captive within these walls will make me more cooperative." Tessa muttered.

"She's been given leave to stay here until the danger to her is past." Will provided the official version of her illegal detainment still leaning against the doorway. He made living here sound like a merciful gift that she should be praising the heavens for.

Jem studied Tessa "That does explain much." He murmured to himself then continued almost apologetically. "You will catch a chill if we don't head in." She shrugged sadly and got up to go back in. She didn't want to cause trouble for Jem, he'd been really kind to her.

Inside, he gestured for her to take a seat, started another fire to warm the air and took a seat near her but far enough away to not be awkward. Will finally sauntered in and flopped onto the opposite couch unbuttoning his coat.

"Your hair's wet," Jem said, finally addressing Will's presence. "Where have you been?"

"Here, there, and everywhere." Will grinned. Despite his usual grace, there was something about the way he moved—the flush on his cheeks and the glitter in his eyes-

"Boiled as an owl, are you?" Jem sounded amused. "Where have you been? The Blue Dragon? The Mermaid?"

 _Ah_ , Tessa thought, _He's drunk_. She should have recognized it sooner. She'd seen enough drunk people. Somehow, she felt obscurely disappointed and jealous. He'd turned her down for alcohol? And he was free to come and go while she remained a prisoner.

"The Devil Tavern, if you must know." Will sighed nonchalantly while looking straight at her. She felt a blush paint her face. "I had such plans for this evening. The pursuit of blind drunkenness and wayward women was my goal. But alas, it was not to be. No sooner had I consumed my third drink in the Devil than I was accosted by a delightful girl. She was short- but those can be firecrackers, if you know what I mean."

He paused possibly expecting a comment from Jem or her. When none came, he sighed and continued. "She wanted to dance, but no sooner had we started- she tried to rob me."

"Again? I'm beginning to think you enjoy letting young girls rob you." Jem chortled. "You should have seen him the other day, Tessa. He was a sight- he'd never been robbed before- he nearly gave himself a concussion banging his head on the table!"

Tessa felt a thrill of pride on realizing she'd been successful while others hadn't so far. Will's intent gaze never left her, he was wearing that look she found so odd and compelling—that amusement that didn't seem to pass beyond the surface of his features, as if he found everything in the world both infinitely funny and infinitely tragic all at the same time. He must have seen the brief smugness on her face because he arched an eyebrow, his look of amusement looked almost real for a moment.

"Actually, _she_ wasn't a girl at all this time, but a midget in a dress with a penchant for violence, who goes by the name of Six-Fingered Nigel."

"Easy mistake to make," Jem said.

"I caught him in the act of slipping his hand into my pocket," Will said, finally looked away from her. "I couldn't let that stand, of course. A fight broke out almost immediately. I had the upper hand until Nigel leaped onto the bar and struck me from behind with a pitcher of gin."

"Ah," said Jem. "That does explain why your hair's wet."

"It was a fair fight," Will said. "But the proprietor of the Devil didn't see it that way. Threw me out. I can't go back for a fortnight."

"Best thing for you," Jem said unsympathetically. "Glad to hear its business as usual, then. I was worried for a moment there that you'd come home early to see if I was feeling better."

"You seem to be doing perfectly well without me. In fact, I see you've met our resident mystery woman," Will said, glancing toward Tessa. "Do you normally turn up in gentlemen's bedrooms in the middle of the night? If I'd known that, I would have come back sooner instead of seeking company at the tavern."

"I don't see how what I do is your concern," Tessa replied. "Anyhow Jem's room is right across from mine."

" _My_ room is right across that door; in case you want to explore a different one next time." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at her. She found herself unable to reply. He had bloody turned her down just a few hours ago! Why was he pretending to be interested now?

"It was the violin," Jem came to her rescue. "She heard me practicing."

"Ghastly wailing noise, isn't it?" Will asked Tessa. "I don't know how all the cats in the neighborhood don't come running every time he plays."

"I thought it was pretty."

"That's because it was," Jem agreed.

"Feel free to disrupt my sleep with it any night, Jem," she said sincerely. His return smile was dazzling and infectious.

Will pointed a finger accusingly in their direction. "You're ganging up on me. Is this how it's going to be from now on? I'll be odd man out? Dear God, I'll have to befriend Jessamine."

"Jessamine can't stand you," Jem pointed out.

"Henry, then."

"Henry will set you on fire."

"Thomas," Will suggested.

"Thomas," Jem began—and doubled up, suddenly racked with an explosive fit of coughing so violent that he slid from the couch to his knees. Too shocked to move, Tessa stared as Will sprang off the couch and knelt down by Jem, placing a hand on his shoulder. There was no trace of drunkenness on him at all.

"James," he said quietly. "Where is it?"

Jem held up a hand to ward him off. Racking gasps shook his thin frame. "I don't need it—I'm all right—" He coughed again, and a fine spray of red splattered the floor in front of him. Blood.

Will's hand tightened on his friend's shoulder; Tessa saw the knuckles whiten. "Where is it? Where did you put it?"

Jem waved his hand feebly towards his room. "On—," he gasped. "On the mantel—in the box—the silver one—"

"I'll get it, then." Will said in a surprisingly gentle tone. "Stay here."

"As if I'd go anywhere." Jem scrubbed the back of his hand across his mouth; it came away with streaked red.

Standing up, Will turned—and saw Tessa. For a moment he looked purely startled, as if he'd forgotten she was there at all.

"Will—," she whispered. "Is there anything—"

"Come with me." Catching her by the arm, Will marched her, gently, toward the open door of the lounge. He thrust her out into the corridor, moving to block her view of the room. "Good night, Tessa."

"But he's coughing blood," Tessa protested in a low voice. "Perhaps I-"

"No." Will glanced over his shoulder, then back at Tessa. He leaned toward her, his hand on her shoulder. She could feel every one of his fingers pressing into the flesh. They were close enough that she could smell the night air on his skin.

Will spoke in a low voice. "He has medicine. I'll get it for him. There's no need for you to do anything or tell anyone about this. Understood?"

"But if he's ill—"

"Please, Tessa. I'm keeping things from people for you. Can't you do the same for me?"

But sweet gentlemanly Jem was ill- how could she not help! Yet looking into Will's blue eyes, she couldn't say no- and not just because he was keeping her secrets. "I—all right."

"Thank you." Will released her shoulder, and raised his hand to brush her cheek— and his eyes swept across her face intently. The touch was so light and tender she thought she might almost have imagined it. It felt more intimate than when she'd been draped over him in the library. It startled her and set her heart racing, and as she stood there confused, the door closed with a small bang, and the lock slid home.

Standing there she realized that though Will had said he'd been out all night drinking—though he'd even claimed to have had a pitcher of gin smashed over his head—he didn't smell of alcohol. Will was perplexing, that was for certain.

It was a long time before Tessa could sleep again. She lay awake, wishing she had the familiar ticking of the clockwork angel to soothe her to sleep. And she thought about the Parabatai pair in the hallway across from hers, and how when she was with them her fears of being trapped faded away.


	5. Chapter 5

Tessa woke up unsure of the time- she had no watch, cell phone or even a wall clock! But judging by how sunny it was outside, she guessed it was late morning. After a strenuous hour of Pilates and her other usual morning rituals, she was starving. But she only had the flimsy nightdress and the cocktail dress to wear. Neither felt appropriate for exploring exits or foraging for food. She decided to borrow clothes. And since Will kept his room locked, and Jem _was_ the only other person she knew up here… perhaps it would annoy the boys enough to want to kick her out. A girl could hope.

She walked around in the cavernous halls, trying to not think about her inability to leave. Why had no one told her the house rules? Did this place have meal hours when everyone was supposed to gather or was she expected to cook for herself? The rumbling of her stomach made her wish someone had given her an instruction manual.

She finally located the dining room… but it was empty of people _and_ food. She found her way to the kitchen where Jessamine was chatting excitedly on the phone. The girl was so involved in her salacious gossip about celebrities and reality TV, that she didn't seem to notice Tessa as she fixed herself some sandwiches. _Apparently Institute agents kept up with the Kardashians too._

Tessa decided to lunch in the lounge from last night… there had been books there. On shelves that _weren't_ protected with biometric scanners! She was put out that Will hadn't shown her those options to begin with instead of cornering her in the _grand library_ of illegible books and playing stupid mind games. She hadn't had any luck locating a cell phone or a laptop but she was sure to find one up there if she looked hard enough.

Feeling oddly hopeful, she'd nearly made a clean exit with her haul, when Jessamine called out with a horrified cast to her voice, "Tessa, what on earth are you _wearing_?"

"Ummm…" The longest shirt of Jem's- a white full sleeved one was tied as a tube dress. It came beyond almost to her knees. She was decent enough to walk around- and it was easy enough to climb out a window if she got the chance. She'd covered up with another long grey full sleeved shirt as a 'cardigan' of sorts. For someone with limited options Tessa thought she'd done a good job. She thought she looked casual and day appropriate… but apparently Jessamine didn't share her opinions on what counted as decent or cute.

"Are those Jem's clothes?" She sounded aghast! She supposed it was obviously Jem's clothes… Will had been dressed to attract attention any time she saw him… no whites and pale grays for him. "And what _is_ that on your plate, you can't be seriously about to eat _that_." Seriously, what was wrong with baloney sandwiches? But before Tessa could even articulate her responses, the blond moved with surprising speed to toss her plate of food into the bin and drag her away somewhere.

Jessamine had an iron grip on her… and she was relentless in yanking Tessa into the depths of the institute. When Tessa finally got her bearing after preventing collision with multiple fixtures and wall corners, she realized the blond was on the phone again… this time about some emergency. She seemed to have her own shorthand or code because most of her words were gibberish to Tessa. Taking clothes from someone else's closet couldn't possibly be that big a deal to warrant being manhandled so much.

When Jessamine finally stopped, it was inside a bedroom that wasn't very different from hers in layout but was much larger. From the décor and the visible personal touches, she would wager this was Jessamine's room.

"So what do you think?" The blond was clearly proud of her room… but all Tessa could think of was the gurgling sounds coming from her stomach.

"I'm starving," Tessa responded glumly and rubbed her tummy with her newly freed hand. It felt like her stomach was trying to eat itself. And now her hand hurt too.

"Oh don't worry Sophie is on her way with takeout. I hope you like sushi." Tessa did, but she was annoyed by the blonde's presumptuousness. Besides wanted food **now** , not whenever Sophie decided to make an entrance. Still beggars and choices… Tessa decided to play nice.

"Why am I here?" She asked wearily.

"To buy you some clothes of course. You can't go around looking like that!" Tessa just stared at her in shock, did that mean Jessamine was taking her out to shop? The perfect escape?!

"Of course you're right. I do need new clothes. Where are we going?" She tried to keep her voice level… but some excitement leaked through.

Jessamine smiled broadly perhaps mistaking her enthusiasm to get away for shopping fever. "Normally I'd take you to Bond or Regent Street or the boutiques in Carnaby but Charlotte doesn't feel it's safe for you out there, and I'm not in the mood to play body guard- so _online_." Jessamine chirped. Tessa was surprised that her own smile didn't falter completely since her hopeful mood had sunk back into despair.

The blond loved shopping, that much was obvious since Jessamine didn't want Tessa's input on what _Tessa_ would like to wear. She felt like a glorified Barbie as Jessamine had her measured and turned and placed different fabrics from her very very large walk-in closet against her skin and exuberantly continued her efforts to dress Tessa 'like a proper lady'. Tessa already not the biggest fan of shopping, let Jessamine do her thing and focused instead on trying to separate her from her phone.

Hope bloomed again as Tessa excused herself to the bathroom and finally sent a message to one of Ragnor's burners. She knew he wouldn't be able to respond immediately but knowing that someone knew where she was, made her feel better. Now she'd have to read the local papers to see his response… they (Ragnor and her) had a system in place for such situations.

When Tessa came back out Jessamine was still engrossed on her laptop. She was too hungry to focus on anything- even if it meant ending up with a bunch of snug cocktail dresses, useless gowns, sky high heels and tarty lingerie. Tessa valued comfort and practicality when her wardrobe wasn't dictated by her work- stretchy yoga pants, loose printed cotton trousers, shorts, t-shirts, jersey knit dresses that sort of thing. Worst case scenario she could just raid the boys closet again… maybe if she did it enough they'd be annoyed enough to let her leave. A girl could continue to keep hoping.

* * *

Sophie's arrival with blessed much treasured food roused Tessa from the catatonic state she'd gone into. She wasn't even bothered by the amused laugh that the brunette let out on seeing Tessa's ensemble and appetite. (Though she was vindicated when Sophie asked her to show how she'd made the shirt transformation. _Ha, she knew it'd looked good_!)

Once she was sated, Tessa turned her attention to what had become of 'her shopping'- Sophie and Jessamine were arguing about the need for a second ball gown… seriously? What were the chances of a prisoner going to a formal party? The way the girls talked about her as if she wasn't there was beginning to grate. (Sophie wasn't that bad- she tried to get Tessa's opinions but Tessa was bored and grumpy).

"So how come you don't have a lounge, Jessamine?" Tessa asked curiously hoping to discover more about this mysterious institute.

She snorted, "The boys only have one because they knocked down the walls of some bedrooms while 'experimenting' with Henry's gadgets a few years ago. Charlotte was livid when she found out… but she gave in when Jem presented a plan for their 'suite' with the lounge and the veranda. She's never been able to say no to them, Jem especially."

"Even when she was suspicious at at quickly Jem drew those plans," Sophie snorted before adding, "We wanted a lounge too after that, but we settled for renovations and redecorations instead." That explained why this room was larger and had so much closet space.

"Oh, I didn't know you used to live here too." She remembered Sophie saying she lived elsewhere.

"She just moved in with her hunky boyfriend." Jessamine grumbled apparently unhappy about the situation. "We were supposed to get a place together."

Sophie's eye roll gave Tessa the feeling that this was an 'argument' the two girls often had. "We did. Your string of random beaus was difficult to adjust to." She turned to face Tessa 'too loud' she mouthed. Jessamine blushed and harrumphed but didn't refute Sophie's words.

Seeing the girl's easy interaction made Tessa long for a 'bestie' too. In a different world she would have been happy to know these two. Gossiping about their latest men, dressing up together for ladies' night out, sharing their lives and joys. Not in this world. They were her captors even if they didn't behave like it… and she was a con artist that they'd arrest without a second thought if/when they found out.

Tessa listened to them talk, asked an occasional question (trying not to let her natural curiosity make her look suspicious) and gathered much information- none of it was of any practical use but it was good to know what kind of people she was dealing with. They both adored Jem and barely tolerated Will (occasionally despised him). All four of them had lived at the institute since they were young mostly because they didn't have families to go home to. Charlotte had been an odd mixture of guardian, supervisor, trainer, employer, mentor, confidant to them over the years (and unsurprisingly also a disciplinarian for Will).

Henry was an inventor of sorts… but seemed to specialize in unanticipated explosions… his 'lab' was one of the forbidden floors- mostly to make sure no one was injured by venturing in there and disturbing one of his contraptions. There had been others that had lived here before, they still worked for the institute and stayed the night occasionally depending on circumstances. Thomas, one of the men that had rescued her was one such. And so was someone called Agatha that Tessa had never seen. Apparently Agatha liked to bake in her free time and occasionally left treats for the inhabitants of the institute- if Will didn't find and devour it all before others could get to it.

Sophie had dated Will briefly though she didn't speak much on it. She was now happily dating a guy called Gideon Lightwood, who was the son of Charlotte's rival and had recently moved back from the institute in Spain. She was learning Spanish at his request and he was taking dance classes at hers. Sounded like a cute couple, especially when Sophie blushed prettily when talking about him.

Jessamine was keen to find a boyfriend… and eventually a husband. She had aspirations to operate her own boutique or fashion line. She seemed to have no business sense at all, however, and had already tanked one startup- she was independently wealthy though and saw it as a part of the 'learning curve'. Unfortunately for Jessamine, her affairs usually tended to failed a few weeks after moving in with any guy as well. So despite her wishes she remained a reluctant agent and continued to yo-yo between living at the institute or living with her newest beaus. Still Tessa admired her for her unfailing determination to keep realizing her dreams and not losing hope.

Overall it sounded like a quirky and happy but extremely loyal family. Charlotte was definitely the glue that kept them all together even though she was only a few years older than everyone else. Tessa felt like an intruder sometimes when they'd refer to events she hadn't been around to witness. It was good in a way, it reminded her that she needed to find ways to leave no matter how nice and welcoming they were to her. She wasn't one of them. And she wasn't someone that lied being locked in.

* * *

When the shopping was finished and the conversation had moved on to gossip about people she'd never met, she excused herself to get some more food. The sushi had allayed her hunger but talking about Agatha's baking had made her peckish. This time finding her way to the kitchen was easier. But the sound of talking made her pause with her hand on the door handle.

"…his father was an ex-employee and a friend. His work suffered when he began going to Pandemonium and was fired a month ago. Nate never came back or collected his last paycheck." Will's lazy voice floated out the door towards her.

"The proprietors of the Dark house are also linked to the Pandemonium. What relevance does it have to formulas or devices- its an S&M club?" That voice with the edge of authority in it was Charlotte's.

"Well Magister does mean 'master' in Latin… seems like the kind of name a person at an S&M club would choose." Will added casually, Tessa could imagine his smirking face and disinterested shrug through the door.

"Did Mortmain give any clues as to what Tessa's brother was working on? I still feel its related to the Pharmaceutical company." This was Jem. His soft voice laced with an odd anxiety.

"His personal communications matches Tessa's story." Charlotte informed them, "But he was lying about the treatment for gambling and his job. His finances don't add up either- too much money for mid-management. We'll have to confirm the source of the funds- could be gambling wins. We're still waiting for the company to give us access to Nate's work and correspondence."

"We're missing something here. What would a fetish club and brothel have to do with this?" Will growled in frustration. It almost sounded like he cared. "I'll visit Pandemonium and see if I can find any leads." Or was it just an act to go out and have fun?

"Of course, you'll be there to find leads!" Jem snorted, his words articulating Tessa's thoughts.

"Alec and Jace are verifying Tessa's story in New York. This could be something related to their past. Street footage of the murdered torturers suggests there are two different groups after her. Alec is set to come here after that to give us a hand."

"Ugh, another Lightwood? Just what we need." Will grumbled.

"So we are still no closer to finding out what is going on?" Jem asked the question burning in her thoughts- again.

"Alec has as much experience as you do Will, and..." Charlotte began

"I'll let you know how my foray at Pandemonium goes tonight." Will's cheerful voice cut off Charlotte's lecturing.

"…who said you were going?!" Charlotte's annoyed voice called out just as Will yanked on the handle Tessa had been holding. The force made her stumble into him landing them both on the kitchen floor. At least her fall had been cushioned by his body.

She almost felt bad, until he opened his mouth, "I know I'm the sexist thing you've ever seen but couldn't you have waited till we were somewhere more comfortable to jump me?" It wouldn't have been so bad if she still hadn't been sprawled solidly on top of him and he hadn't had a roguish grin on his face. He was definitely enjoying this more than he should.

Jem came over to give her a hand, at least _he_ looked concerned. "Are you alright Tessa?" He inquired kindly, and she nodded back busy fixing her 'clothes' to muster sass.

"What no concern about your smashed up Parabatai, you traitorous bastard!" Will grumbled as he came to his feet and exaggeratedly dusted himself. Everyone ignored him since it was obvious he wasn't injured.

"How long have you been listening?" Jem asked curiously.

"Oh dear, what are you wearing?!" Charlotte's scandalized voice called out before she could answer. This made the boys study her from head to toe, which in turn made her blush all over.

"Are those my clothes?!" Jem asked with a grin. No he wasn't the slightest bit upset, rather he looked _happy_ and amused but not obnoxious like Will.

"Yeah," Tessa shrugged and ignored Will's disgruntled look at her admission. "I'll buy you some new shirts- colorful ones- your wardrobe is too monochrome."

"Didn't Jessamine help you shop for clothes? I specifically instructed her to do that first thing this morning." Charlotte demanded.

"She did, they won't be delivered till tomorrow." Despite how annoying the process had been Tessa didn't want to get Jessamine in trouble. It was obvious now that she'd forgotten her task until she'd seen Tessa in the kitchen earlier.

"Well my shirt has never looked so good before." Jem grinned. "I wouldn't say no to your advice when I shop next, but you don't owe me anything. We should have considered that you'd need clothes _before_ you decided to raid our closets."

"Jem is right. We should have been more considerate." Charlotte spoke up again. "But back to business, how much did you overhear, Tessa?"

"Just enough to know you don't know anything about my brother or the people supposedly after me, Mrs. Branwell." Tessa replied calmly. There was no point in denying she'd been eavesdropping- she'd been the main topic so she felt perfectly entitled to know what was happening.

"Please call me Charlotte. We aren't that formal here at the Institute. And we are looking into every lead. Investigations take time." Tessa had heard enough to know they weren't just twiddling their thumbs so she nodded politely in agreement. "Very well. Please let one of us know if you need anything else."

"A cell phone. Laptop with internet access. A map with all the exit procedures labeled on to it, perhaps?" Tessa asked hopefully, making Charlotte smile amusedly.

"Ahhh Tessa, I have a feeling you'll be as much of a handful as Will was growing up." She sounded almost motherly and fond and she ruffled Will's hair. "I'll see you at dinner. Have you met Jem? He's cooking for us tonight." And she left leaving behind an adorably stupefied Will and an abashed Jem.

Realizing she was gaping at the kitchen door, Tessa turned to look at a still blushing Jem. He didn't look sick despite having coughed blood last night. There was some color on his pale cheeks and a sparkle in his odd silver eyes. "You cook?" Tessa asked with genuine interest. She liked cooking. She had her moments of brilliance in the kitchen… but it was often overshadowed by her moments of utter disaster.

"Yeah, a little." He gestured her towards the counter where he had some complicated looking things happening- it already looked and smelled delicious. "I'd be happy for the company while I work."

"I'd like to help if you don't mind." Jem lit up even more as he handed her an extra apron. To her surprise Will settled on to a high chair across the counter from them and began making demands for what he wanted to eat instead of heading out as he'd planned to do only minutes ago.

* * *

Jem had been complimented for his cooking but no one had expressed an interest in finding out what went into the making of those dishes, until now. Tessa asked question after question and he racked his brain for the tips and wisdom his mom had imparted to him years ago. Looking at her now he would have told her anything, let alone the recipe for his mom's stewed eggplant.

Tessa was like some temptress dredged up from the depths of his imagination with her long shapely legs, flowing hair, elegant neck, perfectly arched clavicles and those intense beautiful gray eyes. Of course a part of his happiness was derived from the fact that he was getting almost undivided attention (almost, since Will was around) from a pretty girl. It didn't help that she was in _his_ shirt… it was probably convenience since he never locked his room but seeing this very pretty girl in _his_ shirt had him all giddy. He was thankful that Will had decided to hang around. Jem didn't appreciate the extra mess his Parabatai was creating but his presence ensured Jem didn't make a fool out of himself.

"And what are you doing with those apples?" Tessa asked leaning towards him. Her hand brushed against his arm sending his pulse racing. He could smell the lavender soap on her skin and his mind unhelpfully provided a visual of how it'd feel to run his hands over it. His mind was coming up short for answers…. _apples… what did one do with apples?_

"Dessert!" He sighed as she moved away. Jem hoped Will wouldn't notice how flustered he was. "Make dessert… apple rose tarts." She looked intrigued but Will grumbled, "You always make those!" It had been one of the last things he'd learned to make with his mom, so he _did_ make it often.

"I can make a crumble instead," Jem replied not taking offence at his Parabatai's complaints.

"But I've never had those!" Tessa didn't exactly whine but there was a definite hint of a pout on her lips. And Jem knew for certain he'd make her any number of tarts or anything else she wanted if she continued to look at him like that. How had he become so infatuated with her so quickly? It wasn't that he didn't notice girls… but he was usually more indifferent… more restrained... not as _affected!_

"I'll make some for you then." Jem found himself saying before the thought registered and Will again began to grumble about wanting a crumble instead.

"How about _I_ make a second dessert?" Jem knew she was just being nice to appease a very annoying Will…. And _that_ was another surprise… Jem usually had an abundance of patience for his Parabatai's odd moods and whims and antics… but this evening his presence was both a relief _and_ an unwanted distraction.

"Hell yeah! More desserts. I can definitely get on board with that." Tessa and Jem shared a look and burst out into laughter at Will's silly happy dance. He was nothing if not an attention hog!

"Don't worry I can make both." Jem managed say to her in between laughs.

"Nahh you already have a full time job babysitting him," She gestured towards Will who was throwing peanuts into the air with chopsticks and trying to catch them with his mouth- while still dancing like an idiot, "Besides it's been a while since I baked… I miss it."

Jem watched with fascination as she made a huge mess assembling her dessert- mostly because she had roped Will into slicing the oranges and wouldn't accept any that she deemed to be too thick. It was fair since Will had made such a production out of his amazing knife skills- which he did have but for _throwing_ not _slicing_! But the end product was certainly worth all the cleanup. A golden buttery cake soaked in syrup and topped with candied oranges.

Needless to say Will burned his tongue trying to dig in while it was still hot… he persevered and half of it before they finished cooking the rest of the meal. Tessa perhaps having anticipated Will's ravenous appetite for baked goods had made enough for two batches so there was still something left for him to try later. She continued to help him chop, stir, and season as the evening progressed. Jem hadn't enjoyed cooking as much in years.

"I feel like a cat," Tessa murmured as she opened her mouth to eat the pulled pork off the chopstick in Jem's hand. He knew it was weird but he couldn't stop feeding her- especially with the way she'd moan with her eyes half closed and lick her lips when she liked something. A peanut hit him smack on his forehead- _Will_ demanding to be fed as well. Jem sighed as he proffered a loaded chopstick towards him as well. Tessa wasn't wrong hanging out with Will tonight definitely felt like babysitting.

Dinner afterwards was an almost quiet affair- Charlotte had forbidden talk about any cases outside the office area while Tessa was in residence. Normally meal times were when progress reports and assignments were doled out. Jessamine had gone out on a date and Sophie had left for the day. Still for Jem, it was a wonderful dinner. He was seated next to Tessa who had a way for getting him to talk about himself- unused to so much attention he'd told her about learning to cook with his mom and the various things he'd eaten growing up in shanghai. He knew Will had added quite a few snarky retorts (probably unhappy at _not_ being the center of a girl's attention for once) but all Jem cared to remember was the glitter in Tessa's eyes when she laughed and the shape of her lips when she smiled.

After dinner since Charlotte called them (sans Tessa) to her study to assign tasks. She also informed them of a diary that had been found at the dark house, probably left behind by one of the missing employees. It was being translated from which ever language it was written in. Also Alec Lightwood would be arriving in a few days, hopefully with more leads for us to explore- and with more information on Tessa's past. Nate's employer, Mortmain, had political ambitions, so Charlotte had decided to ask Lady Camille for more information on him and his large business empire.

Will _and Jem_ were assigned to investigate Pandemonium. Jem knew his role was to make sure Will didn't do anything dangerous or stupid… normally Jem didn't mind that but he'd hoped to spend some more time with Tessa tonight. He couldn't deny he was drawn to her- his life was going to be short and Tessa would leave once this case was sorted out- he wanted to make the most of what time he'd get with her. But there were more important things in the world than his wishes and desires- stopping a potential trafficking operation was one of them.

The universe, however, was feeling kindly on him tonight- they were denied entry to Pandemonium for not meeting its very strict dress code. Will was quite disappointed, more so than usual when denied an opportunity for fun. However, unlike normal times he didn't even mention barhopping or any other activity Charlotte would frown upon. If Jem hadn't been so elated at coming back early ( _perhaps Tessa was still awake_ ), he might have found it odd. They reported their return to Charlotte and were almost to their rooms when the alarms on their floor went off.

They exchanged a look of worry before dashed into Tessa's room grabbing swords along the way and nearly taking the door off its hinges in their haste to fend off attackers… only to find Tessa alone but halfway out the window trying to make an escape. Jem relaxed. She wasn't in danger- except from falling multiple stories to the ground below. Will burst out laughing at her chagrined expression and gave her a hand to pull her back in. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He asked with an odd edge to his voice- concern, perhaps?

"Isn't it obvious?" She replied, refusing to be intimidated or show her embarrassment at being caught so soon. Not that she would have made it much farther. The institute was one of the safest buildings in London with layers of security- it wouldn't be so easy to get out without authorization.

"There are sensors wired into all the windows, and doors. When we said this place was a fortress we weren't kidding, Tessa." Jem told her kindly.

Hearing running steps coming towards Tessa's room, he exchanged a glance with Will and nodded in silent agreement with his Parabatai. Will closed the curtains hiding evidence of her attempt to flee, and Jem walked towards the door to intercept Charlotte and Henry, who were also armed.

"Is Tessa alright? What happened here?" Charlotte demanded.

"Yeah, it was just Church. He got stuck in the window again. We have the situation under control." Jem tried unsuccessfully to keep her away from the room.

Charlotte easily swept past him and peered around with disbelief. "Church must be teleporting then since I saw him two floors below on my way here. You two seem very eager to cover up for Tessa so she may as well be your responsibility now on. Come along Henry, the boys have it 'under control'" And they stalked off with Henry looking confused as to why they'd run up here at all. Jem sighed, Charlotte was too smart to be fooled by them after having dealt with their shenanigans for years- even if she hadn't seen Church.

"Oh this is going to be so much fun! You hear that Tessa, I'm _responsible_ for you now." Will seemed pleased with this turn of events... not that Jem was complaining but Tessa looked gutted. Was it really so terrible for her to be here? She seemed cheerful while they'd been cooking, Jem would have sworn she had a good time and had started to like them.

"Perfect, you'll be the one in trouble when I make my way out then." She retorted before scowling prettily, "How does the bloody alarm stop?"

"By replacing the glass and entering the code to the security system in the hallway." Jem replied as he moved to inspect her window. Nothing looked damaged- but he was impressed that she'd unscrewed the entire complicated frame using cutlery and hairpins.

Tessa sank into the floor looking gloomy and defeated. "Any other surprises I should be aware of?"

"Lots, but what would be the fun if we didn't let you discover them on your own?" Will grinned like a Cheshire cat. Jem gave her a sympathetic glance but didn't answer her. Two groups with unknown agendas were after her- this was where she was safe. They attempt to fix the window, and Tessa's scowl deepened on realizing just how _amused_ they were by the situation.

"We should probably keep an eye on her tonight. We are responsible for her after all. What do you think, Jem?"

"I doubt she will try anything else tonight, but you are right Will." Jem offered her a hand to get up from the floor. "Perhaps if she liked our company enough she wouldn't be so tempted to leave."

Tessa grumbled but didn't speak up, clearly annoyed that they were talking about her and not to her. "Come Tessa join us for some entertainment. Maybe we can change your mind about our lovely home." Will extended a hand to her with a wicked smile.

She eyed him warily, "What do you mean by _entertainment_?"

"Oh you know some bondage, a bit of spanking, maybe a few toys: clamps, plugs..." Jem punched him in the shoulders- hard, not entirely sure if he was kidding since things of that nature had occurred in their lounge in the past.

Tessa snorted again, "So that's what you get up to with six-fingered Nigel, is it?" She didn't seem put out by Will's suggestion but it was a relief that she could sass back at him. Jem tried to hide a smile but Tessa saw him and winked when Will failed to produce a suitable comeback. Usually girls hated Will or fell all over him bowing to his every whim, Jem was glad Tessa didn't fall into either category- it meant he had _some_ hope of getting to know the real her.

"A movie, we mean a movie. Would you join us for one?" Jem interrupted before Will could speak again- he really hoped Will wasn't serious about the bondage thing. He intended to have words with his Parabatai about women and respect _again._ Not that he had anything against people who liked kink... but Will's affections tended to be mercurial at best and he loathed the idea of Tessa suffering more than she already had. He still cringed when remembering how badly Will had ended things with Sophie- it had taken her months to recover.

"Not if Will chooses it. If 50 shades is his kind of book, I can't even imagine how awful his movie tastes would be." Will was about to argue back but Jem kicked his ankle. He glared and hobbled a bit but reluctantly agreed to let her pick the movie.

Tessa promised to join them once she changed… she'd been in one of Jem's gym trousers (rolled up because they were too big) and a t-shirt. He wondered what else she'd borrowed. It was unfortunate that her clothes would arrive tomorrow. It was horribly erotic to see her dressed in his things- he was going to miss it.

Her movie choice was 'Once'. Jem liked it, the musical scores were wonderful- he very much wanted to adapt one of the songs to play on his violin. Will grumbled quite a bit but Jem could tell he liked it too. Then, though it was quite late, he was out voted for another movie. It being his turn, Jem picked a suitably boring documentary to make sure Will got some rest. His Parabatai had insisted on spending last night being his 'devilishly ministering angel' and had then spent the day working. His plan worked and Will left within fifteen minutes of it starting.

His plan worked a bit too well since it lulled Tessa to sleep on the couch as well. Jem turned off the TV, moved all the snacks away and covered her with a blanket before retreating to his room. He was a poor sleeper since his illness so he bought the soundtrack and the music sheets for 'Once' and began working on transcribing the music to play on his violin. He'd been lost in notes and music when Tessa's cries startled him.

* * *

The lounge was bathed in an orange glow from the fire that was slowly dying out. It was enough light to see that the blanket was twisted around Tessa, her hair was damp with sweat and there were tears at the corners of her eyes. Should he wake her up? Try to soothe her somehow? From the few words he could make out she seemed to be reliving her torture at the Dark House.

Jem felt nauseous at the thought of sitting idly while she was so distraught. "Tessa," He called softly, "you're safe, it's just a nightmare. No one will get to you at the institute." His efforts to soothe her only made her thrash more. He hesitantly moved to brush the hair away from her face and stroke her hair, Charlotte had done that to him when he'd just arrived at the institute after losing his parents. The hair stroking seemed to work, Tessa calmed down slowly, her breathing evened out and she stopped flailing. The air was cooling as the fire died out- she surprisingly didn't wake up when he detangled her from the blanket and draped her with it again. She was peaceful and still now, one hand curled around air near her collar- as if she were grabbing on to something.

It wasn't necessary anymore but Jem found himself sifting his fingers through the soft waves of her hair, imagining pieces of music that would best describe the sense of peace and rightness he felt being around her. Even the constant pain he was in eased as he watched her. What was it that drew him to her so much? It wasn't just her looks, Jessamine was beautiful, so was Sophie. He'd known them for a long time and yet he didn't feel this way towards them.

He knew virtually nothing about Tessa besides that she could make a mean dessert and liked books as much as Will did. Perhaps it was because she was so strong, so resilient, and despite everything she'd suffered she wasn't bitter or broken. She still laughed and joked. She had so much spirit and individuality- how could he not admire that? Realizing how ungentlemanly he was behaving, he caressed her hair one last time, made sure she was comfortable and (successfully resisting the temptation to sleep on the other couch to watch her like a pervert), reluctantly went back to his room.


End file.
